With one of his trademark hilarious asides Martin O’Neill gave the game away about Celtic’s media messengers.
Faced with a routine question about the future of Callum McGregor the Celtic boss made a very bad decision.
McGregor is one of many elephants in the room at Celtic.
The captain made it clear towards the end of last season that he was looking for signs of ambition from inside the club.
Two years on from retiring from international football McGregor has watched the quality of the Celtic side decimated.
Matt O’Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah have been sold. And not replaced in any meaningful way.
Michael Nicholson is currently working morning and night to sell off Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston. He has other B list options to sell off as well.
O’Neill has been avoiding the question of McGregor’s future.
Celtic have kept their captain away from media conferences. Cameron Carter-Vickers and James Forrest are dominating the rota.
O’NEILL DROPS HIS BOOZING PALS IN IT
The best laid plans of avoiding the issue came undone on Saturday with the final question at the post Middlesbrough media conference.
Asked about talks with McGregor O’Neill said:
No, not yet. No, no, just too busy drinking with the lads! So once I sober up, then I’ll have that conversation with him and it’ll take me to Monday or Tuesday.
On one hand the Celtic manager opted for a boozy night out rather than spend time discussing issues with his captain. On the other going out on the booze with four reporters was a more pressing issue.
McGregor has been at pre-season training since Day 1 on June 26. O’Neill hasn’t got round to speaking to his captain. He did create time to hit the booze with Michael Gannon, Ryan McDonald, Gareth Law and Josh McCafferty.
No doubt it was agreed that everything discussed in Albufeira was strictly off the record. Never to surface. For background knowledge only. The four reporters kept that part of the deal.
In February 2024 Brendan Rodgers tried something similar. He explained to daily newspaper reporters how his tactics were similar to Ange Postecoglou.
Unfortunately Keith Jackson splashed on it two days later. Rodgers promptly binned his separate media conference for newspapers. He never resumed them.
Celtic rolled the red carpet out for their media favourites in Portugal.
No contract was required, all involved understand the mantra of don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
WHAT GOES ON IN ALBUFEIRA WAS MEANT TO STAY THERE
Celtic offered daily access to the three newspapers. In return there was a silver lining applied to all content from Albufeira.
No follow up questions when Martin O’Neill contradicted himself during answers.
And certainly no questioning the role of Michael Nicholson, on course to excel himself on the last three horrific transfer windows.
Gannon in the Record couldn’t contain himself. When O’Neill claimed that Nicholson was working morning and night the Record hack turned that into bursting a gut to complete signings!
Except for Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi. Unfortunately.
Law of The Sun can be excused from sycophancy. The Sun has two reporters forever on message to deflect away from the multiple failings of the Celtic board. Law covers far more than Celtic.
Which leaves Gannon, McDonald and McCafferty.
Their trip to Portugal was firmly to get on message. Already it is paying dividends. On Friday the Record and Herald/Celtic Way/Glasgow Times were quick off the mark with claims over Greedy Bhoy Kelechi getting £50,000 a week at Bursonspor. Not a chance. Keep the moonbeams realistic lads.
YOU SCRATCH MY BACK AND…
With the circulation of the Record down to around 25,000 and printing taking place in Oldham times are desperate for Gannon and McDonald.
Back in November Gannon got the scoop that Celtic were in advanced talks to appoint Wilfried Nancy as manager. He followed that up with three weeks of drooling profiles about the French Pep. That one didn’t end well.
McDonald is trying his best to break into the Celtic news cycle. A classic example has been praising the bravery of the board for rejecting Nottingham Forest’s £25m bid for Arne Engels. Nicholson is believed to have received counselling following that reluctant decision.
Over at Newsquest The Celtic Way hasn’t established itself in the same manner as the Rangers Review.
Stephen McGowan comes up with the big stories, McCafferty needs to reach that level on a daily basis. That was the purpose of the Algarve trip.
Now, O’Neill has exposed all of that.
Celtic fans know the purpose of everything published by Gannon, McDonald and McCafferty.
To apply the most glowing of spin to the failings of the Celtic board. To present O’Neill’s waffling in the best light.
Celtic’s menu of succulent lamb has long been on the menu.
With the club under unprecedented fire from across the entire support they can count on their friends at the Record, Sun and Herald.
While Celtic fans look elsewhere for news without compromise.
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