Martin O’Neill’s self-criticism despite Celtic’s victory

Originally posted on Celtic Xtra | By Oscar Cortes | Last updated Apr 13, 2026 10:42 PM ET

Celtic closed out the regular season with an important 1-0 victory against St Mirren, in a match where Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the star, scoring the only goal of the game.

In a positive performance, Celtic didn’t quite show their full potential, and this was the first thing Martin O’Neill addressed after the match, as he knows his team is capable of much more.

Martin O’Neill’s emphatic response after the victory against St Mirren

Manager Martin O’Neill was self-critical of the team’s performance. “It was good to win, but we need to play much better… the most important thing is that we won and we can correct some things during the week,” he stated after the match, making it clear that the level shown wasn’t ideal.

The manager’s words reflect a reality that has plagued Celtic throughout the season: positive results at certain points, but with inconsistent performances that have prevented them from consistently competing for the title.

Manager: It was good to win but we need to play much better

️ “But the most important thing is that we won and we can rectify a few things during the course of the week.” ⤵️#CELSTM | #CelticFC
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 12, 2026

Despite this, the team managed to finish with a victory and maintain positive feelings. Now, the focus is on what’s next. With the Scottish Cup on the horizon, Celtic knows it’ll need to raise its game if they want to contend for the title.

The pressure will be greater, and as O’Neill hinted, correcting mistakes will be key if the team wants to end the season with a trophy.

This article first appeared on Celtic Xtra and was syndicated with permission.

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