Celtic can't sack manager O'Neill, says Lambert
Source: BBC Sport ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
Martin O'Neill, Celtic’s permanent manager for a second time, faces intense scrutiny after back‑to‑back defeats to Rangers and a home loss to Ferencváros in the Europa League, following a shocking Champions League collapse to LASK in August where a 4‑0 aggregate lead was surrendered. The 74‑year‑old said he will use the international break to reflect on the recent setbacks, acknowledging that he is “not immune from criticism” and that the club must ask whether he can turn the situation around. Former club captain Paul Lambert, now a commentator, said he would be “shocked and disappointed” if Celtic chose to sack O’Neill, noting that the manager has enough credit in the bank from his previous successes, including a league and Scottish Cup double as an interim boss and seven trophies won as a player between 2000‑05.
Lambert, who insists O’Neill is Celtic’s best manager since Jock Stein, explained that while he would not be surprised if O’Neill eventually left, the club should give him the option rather than force a dismissal. He praised O’Neill for rescuing Celtic twice last season after the departures of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy, describing him as the only person who could have steadied the ship. Lambert also criticized individual performances in the Rangers defeats, particularly defender Cameron Carter‑Vickers’ comments about “playing too random” and “getting a script”, calling them “cringeworthy” and urging players to take responsibility rather than look to the manager for direction.
The fallout from the recent losses has sparked a broader conversation about Celtic’s direction and the expectations placed on O’Neill. Lambert’s remarks highlight the tension between acknowledging O’Neill’s past achievements and confronting the current poor form, suggesting that the club’s leadership will need to decide whether to back the manager through the international break or consider a change. The criticism of Carter‑Vickers underscores a growing frustration with player attitudes, while Lambert’s insistence that the team must solve its problems internally points to a potential shift in accountability within the squad. As the break progresses, Celtic’s board, supporters, and media will be watching closely to see if O’Neill can reverse the slump or if a managerial transition becomes inevitable.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economylow impact
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- ▶Currency traders elsewhere may start pricing in the fallout within hours.
- ▶A story like this rarely stays local for long in a connected economy.
🏙️Local Economymedium impact
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🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.