O’Neill sets European focus amid chaotic season
Martin O’Neill has insisted Celtic’s Europa League campaign remains a priority, pushing back against any suggestion that the club’s attention has drifted solely to a tense Scottish title race.
The 73-year-old, whose tenure is woven into some of Celtic’s most memorable European nights, spoke with clear intent ahead of Thursday’s trip to face FC Utrecht. With the domestic campaign lurching through a three-way battle at the top, O’Neill believes Europe can still provide a valuable release — and potentially a momentum shift — if Celtic approach it with the right mindset.
“Given what we’ve put into it already, the idea that we’d treat this as secondary doesn’t sit right,” is the message O’Neill conveyed during pre-match duties, urging his players to find what he described as a renewed enthusiasm at a point in the season where fatigue and pressure can easily dull ambition.
‘We don’t want to throw it away’
O’Neill pointed to recent performances on the continent as evidence Celtic have earned the right to keep swinging. A result away at Feyenoord and a committed display in Bologna, he argued, should be viewed as foundations rather than footnotes.
“We got a result in Feyenoord and fought our guts out in Bologna,” O’Neill said. “We don’t now want to just throw it away. We want to try and go for it if we can.”
That admission came with a dose of realism. O’Neill acknowledged the fine margins that define knockout-style European football and the possibility that Celtic’s run could end in the Netherlands. But his emphasis was on intent rather than fear.
“We could still lose the game. We might not win the match and we might go out of the competition, but we want to give it a go,” he added.
Utrecht trip offers chance to reset
For Celtic, the Utrecht fixture lands at a pivotal moment: a chance to briefly step outside the weekly domestic grind, and an opportunity to turn the narrative of a turbulent season. O’Neill believes European nights can still galvanise a squad — particularly one navigating the scrutiny and emotional swings that come with a tight title fight.
Pressure, perspective and purpose
Celtic’s league form may dictate the season’s ultimate judgement, but O’Neill is clearly determined that Europe should not be treated as a distraction. Instead, he sees it as a stage where confidence can be rebuilt, standards reaffirmed and collective purpose sharpened.
Whether Celtic deliver in Utrecht remains to be seen, but the message from the manager is unequivocal: the work done in Rotterdam and Bologna deserves a proper attempt at progression — and, perhaps, the kind of European lift that can echo back into the domestic sprint.
