By:
Mark Hendry
Martin O’Neill has been told to use the advantage he has at Celtic in the January transfer window.
The Irishman is the interim Hoops boss after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy came at a rough time for the club.
In the middle of the winter window was a difficult period to lose a manager.
Despite planning potentially being done for new recruits, Nancy’s targets may not suit what O’Neill fancies.
That’s why the 73-year-old has been urged to make good use of his contacts book and network as the chairman of the LMA (League of Manager’s Association) to find available players who would make Celtic better.
Former Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall believes Martin O’Neill has that as an advantage over other coaches.
Martin O’Neill network is advantage to Celtic
And the ex-Rangers man insists the veteran should use every trick in the book he has.
“His contact books in England will be massive. I mean, he’s the chairman of the LMA,” McCall said.
“I mean, he’ll know every single person and all the players down there.
“You know, it’s a notoriously difficult month. Of course it is.
“I would say, for me, that is where they’re going to recruit from because it’s short term.
“But I don’t think they need seven or eight players. I think they need two or three.”
Celts definitely need a new striker to pitch in with goals up top.
Johnny Kenny has struggled and Daizen Maeda is not a natural centre-forward.
A right-sided central defender is also believed to be on their shortlist as well as a winger.
So McCall’s assessment of the squad may well be spot on the money.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Celtic won’t spend more cash on other positions.
Albeit fans won’t be expecting much money to be splashed out anywhere following recent windows.
Celtic’s board are at war with punters following failed transfer windows and a lack of spending.
And yet, O’Neill has been one of the biggest advocates for both sides getting back on the same page.
O’Neill wants Celtic fans to unite with penny pinching board
For the caretaker he reckons having everyone pushing in the same direction can only help Celtic.
But he understands it could take some time for a proper trust to be built both ways.
“Do you know what I think?
“I wouldn’t mind having meetings with a group of people just for people to air their grievances,” he said.
“I’m a football manager. It’s rather obnoxiously ridiculous of me to think that I can resolve a problem.
“What you can do is, I think, maybe have a bit of a truce if that’s the case.
“I’d love it if the stadium was absolutely just ready to go.
“Ready to support the players through thick and thin, because it will be a difficult time.
“It does wear you down a bit, you know.
“So it would be nice to have people together.
“We’d have to try and win the football matches, and that quells things for a little while.
“That’s all it does.
“But eventually, at some stage, whatever comes or goes, the board and supporters will have to come back into unison.”
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