Lambert: Celtic Won’t Pull Trigger on O'Neill — Not Yet

Paul Lambert's blunt assessment landed like a verdict: Celtic cannot realistically sack manager O'Neill at this point, he told reporters. The former manager's intervention crystallises a debate raging through Parkhead corridors and the wider Scottish game about timing, cost and consequence.

Lambert pointed to contractual liabilities, the likely compensation bill and the board's appetite for risk as primary reasons why an immediate dismissal would be self-sabotage. Financial prudence and the optics of mid-season upheaval make the club's hands tied unless the hierarchy decides the situation is beyond repair.

On the pitch, the consequences of keeping a manager with wavering form are clear — short-term stability versus the danger of long-term decline. The sensible alternative for Celtic is internal surgery: tighten recruitment, reinforce the coaching staff, and set short, measurable targets rather than replace the main actor without a plan.

The Guru's view is simple and sharp: don't sack in panic, reform the structure. If the board truly wants change, it should plan for a summer handover with a sporting director and a ready successor; until then, demand clarity and results, not headlines.