Celtic have confirmed that manager Martin O’Neill is currently in hospital after undergoing what the club described as a small procedure. He is expected to be discharged within a day or two, according to an official club statement published on Wednesday.
No information has been released about the nature of the operation. Celtic asked supporters to respect the privacy of O’Neill and his family, while thanking fans for the goodwill messages directed toward the manager.
Club Statement Addresses Speculation
As reported by Sky Sports and the Daily Record, Celtic posted on social media that O’Neill had undergone a small procedure and that they anticipated him leaving hospital in the near term. The club framed the statement as a response to circulating speculation, without elaborating on what prompted the procedure.
His dugout availability for the next league fixture has not been confirmed.
Season Opener Comes Days Before Hospitalisation
O’Neill was in the technical area just two days before the news broke. Celtic opened their Scottish Premiership title defence with a 1-0 home victory over Dundee at Parkhead on Monday, according to Sky Sports.
His next scheduled match in charge would be Sunday’s away trip to Kilmarnock. Whether he will be available for that game remains unconfirmed.
O’Neill’s Path Back to Parkhead
BBC Sport, via Yahoo Sports, reported that O’Neill had not managed a club since leaving Nottingham Forest in 2019 before making a surprise return to Celtic last October, roughly 20 years after his first spell as manager. That return came following Brendan Rodgers’ departure (a story previously covered by [Rodgers Spends 28 Minutes Criticising ESPN on ESPN, Network Declines to Comment](INTERNAL LINK: “Rodgers Spends 28 Minutes Criticising ESPN on ESPN, Network Declines to Comment”)). He initially stepped in on a temporary basis, then handed over to Wilfried Nancy in December.
Nancy was dismissed after just eight matches. O’Neill returned a second time and guided the club to both the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup, defeating Dunfermline in the cup final at Hampden. That was his eighth and ninth major honours with Celtic. Not a bad second act.
Permanent Contract Secured This Summer
Following that double, O’Neill agreed a permanent one-year deal in June, with an option for a further year included. The Daily Record reported that talks involved Celtic’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond before the contract was finalised.
He now begins his first full season back in charge. Celtic are aiming to extend their run of consecutive Premiership titles to six.
