One former Celtic star believes his old club were give n a 'fright' last season, but while he is likely right, the evidence that it is true is not forthcoming.
It has been well over two weeks since the season concluded, and Celtic are yet to formally appoint Martin O'Neill despite agreeing a one-year deal with the veteran boss. O'Neill did enough to win the job following his double-winning exploits at the end of last season, but his age of 74 means he is not going to be a long-term appointment.
Still, the appointment hasn't been made, and we have known O'Neill has agreed a deal since the start of this week
Celtic's 'fright' and lack of response
While the Bhoys may have ended the season with two trophies and secured what was one of the more memorable title wins, it was a disappointing season in terms of pure standards. Ultimately, it took the Bhoys far too long to get going, and turning the ship around was no easy task after the Wilfried Nancy experiment.
O'Neill did indeed manage to turn things around, but the veteran boss knows changes need to be made, and he is reportedly demanding a hefty budget this summer.
"Hopefully he gets the players he wants to carry the club forward,” former Celtic star Paul Lambert told BBC Scotland.“It’s a big summer for Celtic. I think what happened last year has given them a fright. What he did was galvanise things and I’m pretty sure he will have the last say on which players come in."
Celtic fans will be hoping the club were indeed given a fright that their dominance may not continue if they are not able to recruit better, but evidence of change simply isn't there so far.
The club have handled things horribly so far this season, engaging in talks with Robbie Keane, and whichever side you agree with, you have to appreciate that was always going to be a PR disaster, and even after making things right by agreeing a deal with O'Neill, there has been no communications with fans.
The club needs to do better on that front, and then getting down to the football side of it, the delay has clearly caused them to fall behind in the transfer window. A number of top players could leave the club this summer, and while there is plenty of time to do business, a more proactive approach might have been wise.
Everything seems to be on hold until the O'Neill saga comes to an end, and while we are still early in the summer, it feels as though some of the key lessons from last season have not been headed.
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