Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon has warned that the Hoops must be better with their recruitment ahead of next season.
Celtic are preparing to announce Martin O’Neill as their permanent manager for next season, with the veteran boss having led them to league and cup success during his interim spell in charge. The 74-year-old was unsure whether he wanted the role full-time, but it appears as though both parties have agreed to continue their relationship.
Lennon wants better recruitment
Celtic found themselves in a mess last season after poor recruitment played a part in Brendan Rodgers getting off to a sticky start. Then the whole Wilfried Nancy saga played out to a rough and rapid conclusion, leading to O’Neill taking the mantle for the rest of the season.
O’Neill will likely have demanded new signings when taking the role on full-time, and former Hoops boss Lennon believes it is a necessity.
“As Celtic managers, we always want more,” he told the Daily Record. “That can’t be always the case. But they’ve got to give him the best possible chance, which I’m sure they will, of qualifying for the Champions League, and then the whole season opens up.
“The the recruitment’s got to be a lot better than it was last season. I’m sure it will be because there’s been changes from last season to this.
“The club’s more stable now with Martin at the helm. There’s a level of respect for him outside the building and inside the building as well. Hopefully he’ll get to be far more assertive now and in control of things.”
Recruitment will be vital
Celtic are going to have to get behind O’Neill this summer if they want to get off to a fast start and ensure they put together anything close to a respectful Champions League campaign.
Money is being spent at will around Europe these days, and there is a risk Celtic will fall further behind if they don’t start investing. Reo Hatate could bring in a hefty sum to help with summer shopping, but the Hoops need to ensure enough of their signings are tried and tested.
There have been too many risky gambles at times, and those are not the sort of signing O’Neill is going to tolerate. The veteran boss is going to want battle-hardened players who can play his no-nonsense, hard-working brand of football.
You have to build a squad that fits the manager, and O’Neill should get the opportunity to make sure that is the case. Failure to do that and Celtic might find themselves in an another early-season firefight.
