Celtic

Tino
Fan writer

Sometimes in football an academy player's big chance doesn't arrive because everything has been carefully mapped out.

Some meticulous pathway to the first team that's been carefully crafted over months, if not years.

More often - at least at Celtic - it comes because somebody gets injured, suspended or sold. And suddenly the door opens.

That feels like where Dane Murray finds himself now.

With Cameron Carter-Vickers sidelined, there's a genuine opportunity for the young centre-half to step forward and show Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney - two men who have raved about him - that he can be trusted in important games.

And Celtic have seen this kind of thing before.

Kieran Tierney's breakthrough came when Emilio Izaguirre was unavailable, and once he got his chance he never really looked back.

More recently Colby Donovan was handed an opportunity when Alistair Johnston was injured, and he took it well enough to establish himself as a genuine first-team option.

That's often how these things happen.

Injuries are obviously bad news for the player who suffers them, but football doesn't wait around. Someone else has to get the jersey.

And sometimes that one opportunity can change a career.

Murray now has to look at this moment in exactly that way.

This could be his Celtic sliding-doors moment.

He doesn't need to come into the side and suddenly become Carter-Vickers overnight. That would be unfair.

Over the piece CCV has been immense for Celtic since arriving in 2021.

But Murray does need to show composure, aggression, concentration - definitely concentration - and the kind of personality that gives the manager the confidence he can trust him.

That's how breakthroughs happen.

One solid performance keeps you in the side for the next game, then maybe the one after that - and before long the player who was only filling in can become a genuine part of the manager's plans.

There's also something exciting about an academy player getting that opportunity.

Supporters naturally respond to it. There's always a little extra goodwill when one of your own comes through - or at least I think there should be.

But once the chance arrives, the player still has to take it.

And at Celtic, the level rises quickly.

Benfica away would be a serious test if Murray gets the nod on Thursday night, but sometimes those are the games that tell you most about a young player.

So this could be a big few weeks in Murray's Celtic career. Not because anyone wants Carter-Vickers out for any length of time. But because a major opportunity may now be coming Murray's way.

And the question is whether he can make the most of it.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

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Centre-back Liam Scales is hoping Celtic can replicate last season's Europa League win in Feyenoord as they travel to Lisbon to face Benfica on Thursday.

The Portuguese outfit hammered Hearts 6-1 at Estadio da Luz earlier this season and are one of the favourites to go all the way in the European competition.

Celtic, on the other hand, have had a terrible start to their European efforts this season. After a thrashing by LASK in Austria, they were beaten 3-1 at home by Ferencvaros in the first game of the league phase.

"It doesn't get much more difficult in the Europa League than this next one," Scales said. "Benfica away is a tough, tough game.

"It has been disappointing so far in Europe this season so we need to really try and do better.

"But we went to Feyenoord last season and showed what we can do so we can try and replicate how we played in that game.

"When it comes to European fixtures that is a reference for us. That was really, really good, that night, so what's what we will be hoping to do."

That loss to Ferencvaros marked the start of a three-game losing run for Celtic, who were beaten in back-to-back games by rivals Rangers before the three-week international break.

When asked if the break came at a good time for Celtic, Scales added: "Maybe in hindsight, yes.

"But at the time I felt it came at a bad time because we went into two weeks off after coming off the back of bad results.

"But it has given people some respite. People got some time off to go and rest and recover so it has given us a bit of energy.

"I feel players went away and enjoyed their couple of weeks and have come back with more confidence.

"I felt that was noticeable on Sunday. We had young lads making their debuts for teams like Germany [Mika Baur] and Colombia [Camilo Duran], so I think the break boosted the mood, and it was needed.

"We're just happy to be back with games coming thick and fast for the next couple of weeks.

"It felt like we were back to what we want to be after a tough spell before the international window."

Celtic fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's victory against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what some of you had to say:

John: A bit more of a cohesive team performance. While everything seems in disarray around Celtic, this was a decent performance. Lacking in final product at times, but a step in the right direction.

Iain: It was important to get back to winning ways, and a decent performance to go with it. It could have been a lot more but for poor finishing and the heroics of Alex Paulsen in the Motherwell goal. Great to see Jota make his return. Could be a pivotal moment for Celtic.

Davie: Well a win is a win but again it was a struggle to maintain any fluency. However for the first time in a long time Sebastian Tounetki showed some heart. I thought Kieran Tierney was brilliant and big Kasper Hogh will come good. Camilo Duran produced again, thank the stars for him this season.

Chris: Slightly more attacking play. Hogh is the weak link and Duran needs to play up front. Give Hogh a break from playing for a bit. I can see us going on a run of wins now that there has been more time for Martin O'Neill to have time with the players.

Liam: Martin and others may think this win, and maybe a few others, changes everything but I don't. Radical change is required or the club will continue to be divided, Celtic Park will be 20000 fans down and the club will continue to decline. This is worse than any other era of division and I was there in the early 90s.

John M: The inability to score from many chances we create is costing us big time, it keeps teams we play against in the game right to the end. Don't understand how Hogh can score in the Champions League but not in the Scottish Premiership.

Watch all the highlights as Celtic ended their three-game losing run with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Motherwell as the hosts' winless streak continues. Available to UK users only.

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On-loan Celtic winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha scored his first goal for Gent at the weekend, sealing victory away to Zulte Waregem, who are managed by former Rangers boss Michael Beale.

The 25-year-old made it 2-0 in stoppage-time as Gent top the Belgian Pro League table by one point.

Balikwisha was making his sixth appearance since a late August move, which includes an option to buy.

The DR Congo international joined Celtic on a five-year deal in the summer of 2025 after paying Antwerp a reported £5m.

He made 13 appearances for the Scottish champions, just three of them starts.

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Celtic will be keeping an eye on David Moyes as a possible successor to Martin O'Neill next season, with his Everton contract expiring in the summer and the club's owners looking to sell up. (Alan Nixon on Patreon - subscription required, external)

Rangers not being involved in Europe gives them a "big advantage" in the title race, according to Celtic manager Martin O'Neill. (Scottish Sun, external)

Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has revealed that defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will likely miss Thursday's Europa League meeting with Benfica. (The Herald, external)

Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership and recovered from their pre-international break woes with a comprehensive victory at Motherwell.

Read the match report

Have your say

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has been expressing his delight at the victory over Motherwell that has taken his side back to the top of the Premiership.

"Delighted with the performance," he tells BBC Scotland. "The team played really well. Maybe could have scored a few more goals, but we created a lot and that was desperately encouraging.

"Colby [Donovan] is having a terrific time for us - he's got a big heart and is adding other bits to his game. Dane [Murray] could be anything - he's got a good pass on him and he could develop into a really good player."

Of goalscorer Benjamin Nygren, O'Neill adds: "He's back on the scoresheet again, that's what he thrives on. If midfield players score goals, they are worth their weight in gold.

"It's psychologically a big boost to play as well as we did and go back to the top of the table.

"Isn't it nice to see [Jota] back. He's a firm favourite with the crowd and, as the days and weeks go on, he will improve in terms of fitness.

"I didn't think he would be back as quickly as he is. He's done brilliantly to get into the condition he's in and there's a bit of frustration [that he's not in the Europa League squad].

"I don't know if Cameron Carter-Vickers will make the Benfica game, but it's not too bad."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill says he did not know Perth RedStar goalkeeper Sonny Inzalaco, a 19-year-old Australia youth cap, has been training with the club at Lennoxtown. (Glasgow Times, external)

Wrexham are interested in Perth RedStar goalkeeper Sonny Inzalaco, with the Celtic trialist having also reportedly had a trial with Blackburn Rovers in the summer. (Scottish Sun, external)

Martin O'Neill says Celtic will not be making any signings before January and insisted that he did not know 32-year-old former France midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, who has been without a club since leaving PAOK in July 2025, had been training with the Scottish champions. (Glasgow Times), external

The agent for Algeria winger Fares Ghedjemis, who has now signed a contract extension with Frosinone, has revealed both Celtic and Rangers made moves for the 24-year-old during the summer transfer window. (The Herald, external)

Martin O'Neill faces a three-game test of his future as Celtic manager during which he will come up against Alfred Johansson's Motherwell, Wouter Vrancken's Heart of Midlothian and Marink Reedijk's Hibernian, with Johansson and Reedijk's ages put together still not adding up to the Northern Irishman's 74 years, while Vrancken is O'Neill's junior by three decades. (Daily Record, external)

Martin O'Neill cannot afford to threaten to resign as Celtic manager for a second time and survive. (Scottish Sun, external)

Kieran Tierney says he is feeling good and ready to play for Celtic after injury forced the left-back to withdraw from Scotland duty. (Scottish Sun, external)

Former defender Lex Baillie, now 60, has revealed that some of his father's Rangers-supporting friends stopped speaking to him after he signed for Celtic, father Doug having played for the Ibrox club. (The Herald, external)

Chief executive Neil Doncaster has revealed that the Scottish Professional Football League hopes to reintroduce away fans to matches between Celtic and Rangers "as soon as possible". (The National, external)

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson reported no fresh injury concerns following the international break.

Defender Dylan Williams, though, is facing a spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring issue.

Forward Regan Charles-Cook is stepping up his recovery but will not be ready for Sunday.

Celtic winger Jota could return after almost 18 months out injured but Cameron Carter-Vickers is a doubt and Yang Hyun-jun, Alistair Johnston (hamstring) and Callum Osmand (ankle) are set to remain sidelined.

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Celtic midfielder Mika Baur says he is returning from international duty with more confidence after working under Jurgen Klopp and making his Germany debut.

Baur became Germany's 1,000th international as a 77th-minute substitute in Klopp's first victory as head coach, a 2-0 Nations League win over Serbia, and also featured off the bench in the subsequent goalless draw in Greece.

Celtic lost three games in a row leading into the international break, prompting intense scrutiny and speculation about manager Martin O'Neill's position and public protests directed at Dermot Desmond.

Baur, however, says he felt a togetherness in the group as they prepare to return to domestic duty away at Motherwell on Sunday.

"It's the same Mika Baur coming back," he said.

"Maybe with a bit more confidence, a bit more experience, but no, I'm the same.

"Today in training, I felt everyone is looking forward to Sunday, when it starts again, that we can do some things much better than we did before the break.

"I think the break was maybe at a good point as well to come together again, stick together, work on a few things and yeah, everyone is looking forward to Sunday.

"I was not here the last two weeks, so it was my first day today, but I have the feeling that everyone is close together, the team is close.

"So just positive, nothing I'm worried about."

Two Old Firm defeats came either side of a Europa League home loss to Ferencvaros and Baur understands why fans were so critical of the club, despite still sitting top of the league.

"I can understand it because we lost three big matches the week before the national break," he added.

"So absolutely okay, and I knew it, in big clubs, it's usual as well.

"So it's absolutely okay, the criticism, because we deserved it at that moment, but now we need them as well again to perform in the next week.

"We have a lot of games, a lot of Sunday-Thursday-Sunday weeks, so we need everyone."

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Celtic have decided against offering former Chelsea and AC Milan midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, 32, a deal after he trained with the Scottish champions during the international break. (Anthony Joseph, external)

Saturday's Scottish gossip

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There is "every possibility" Jota could make his return from an 18-month lay-off in Celtic's Premiership game at Motherwell on Sunday, says manager Martin O'Neill.

The 27-year-old Portuguese winger, who has been sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury since April last year, played 45 minutes of a bounce game against Falkirk during the international break.

Alistair Johnston is also on the comeback trail, but Celtic will be "careful" with the Canada right-back.

"Jota's been training a wee bit more than Alistair, which is really good," said O'Neill.

"We had a bounce game against Falkirk, which was really good.

"These were non-international players, but at least he got some of that, which was encouraging.

"Alistair is just making his way back, so we just want to be careful with him. And young Callum Osmand is doing the same.

"Jota's been training with us now for quite some considerable time. But that was the first time he'd played what I would call a semi-competitive game."

Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and winger Yang Hyun-jun, who was suffering with a hamstring injury during South Korea's triumphant Asian Games campaign, were not part of Celtic training on Friday.

"Yang's been out, but I'll see about Cameron," said O'Neill. "He's got a bit of a strain at this minute, but we'll see how he is."

On-loan Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo, who is yet to make his Celtic debut because of injury, is finally set to join the squad.

"Yeah, I'm hoping to see him," said O'Neill. "With a bit of luck he'll come up tomorrow and he'll start with us next week.

"He's not in the European squad, so he'll hardly be travelling out to Benfica with us, or we might even get some work there. But yeah, that's pleasing again."

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Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media as Celtic prepare to return to Premiership action away to Motherwell on Sunday (12:00 BST).

Here are the key lines:

• O'Neill criticises the Celtic Fans Collective's protest against the club's major shareholder Dermot Desmond at the Dunhill Links golf tournament last weekend, saying: "I don't agree at all with what happened in St Andrews, I don't agree with that at all. That is not Celtic. We derided Rangers [fans] in the [last season's] game for wearing balaclavas and suddenly we are doing the same thing. This is not Celtic at all."

• The Celtic boss says he was never close to quitting and it "didn't take me long to make my mind" to stay in charge, adding: "As long as the football club wanted me, I was happy to do it."

• With Celtic having lost three games in a row before the international break, O'Neill says "leaving at this particular stage would have been poor".

• The "main driver" for O'Neill staying was his desire to lead the club to the title again and he senses a "great determination" within the squad.

• On the Green Brigade's planned boycott of Scottish Cup matches and home European ties, O'Neill says it is a "really sad situation", adding of the current fan unrest: "All I do know is that when the club were together towards the end of the season, I genuinely felt we were unbeatable."

• The discontent "definitely does" affect the players and O'Neill says: "We have to try and win some football matches in order to get some togetherness again."

• He will "focus strongly" on trying to get Celtic back to winning ways, starting with Sunday's game at "formidable" Motherwell.

• There is "every possibility" Jota could be in the squad at Fir Park as the Portuguese winger has been "training with us now for quite some considerable time" in his recovery from long-term injury.

• Yang Hyun-jun is likely to miss out through injury while Cameron Carter-Vickers "has a bit of a strain". Landon Emenalo is due to begin training next week.

• On the test at Fir Park: "I've seriously never had an easy game ever there. Ever, ever there. I don't see it being any different."

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Jota hasn't kicked a ball for Celtic in almost 18 months - but could he be the catalyst to turn around their season?

The Portuguese winger is stepping up his comeback bid from a long-term ACL injury and played 45 minutes of a training game during the international break.

Jota could be in the frame for a squad place in Sunday's trip Motherwell - where Celtic are attempting to arrest a three-game losing streak - and he can have an important part to play in the remainder of the season, according to former Parkhead midfielder Scott Allan.

Daizen Maeda was the player whose return to form helped drag Celtic to the title last season, and Allan believes Jota can have a similarly transformative effect.

"I think that player could be Jota, I really do," he said on the BBC Scottish football podcast.

"[I've been] hearing from people in the club about how he's trained, how he performed in the bounce game against Falkirk.

"Ultimately he's a really good football player. He's one of the wingers where he doesn't necessarily rely on pace because he's got that good technical ability and what he has shown in the Celtic jersey is he has end product, he's got quality.

"If you give him half a yard, he can put a ball in the box, he can go past guys and he can score a big goal.

"I think if I'm a player in that changing room and you see someone with that quality come back into your squad, he might just be the lift that Celtic need at this moment.

"I'm not saying I expect him to start the game, but I wouldn't be surprised if you see him come on at Fir Park.

"I think the fans and players and Martin O'Neill will be absolutely delighted to have someone of that quality back because Celtic don't have the level of quality that Jota has in other positions that can really go and hurt teams.

"He could be a real catalyst for Celtic going forward now."

Floundering Celtic can ill afford another slip-up at Fir Park as they kick off a testing run of fixtures.

"There's a danger Celtic go into a tailspin if the lose," says Ewan Murray, Scottish football correspondent for The Guardian.

"I think they need a response," he adds. "O'Neill will firmly believe he can turn this around. But they've had such bad results and performances in big games.

"If they go to Motherwell and don't win, I I think there's a serious possibility it starts to go completely haywire from them."

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Pressure returns for both Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic and second-top Rangers after the three-week international break, former Celtic and Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan has suggested.

Rangers narrowed the gap with the reigning champions to two points after their 1-0 win over Martin O'Neill's side last month and Allan recognises why Ibrox counterpart Derek McInnes has been left frustrated by the wait for another game.

"Rangers were definitely off the back of building some huge momentum," he told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast.

"If you're a player in that Rangers dressing room at the start of season, you look at the deficit you had to Celtic so early on, then it just shows you when you build that run of games where you go on a winning streak, how you can close the gap.

"And they've done it with some really good performances against Celtic in the cup and Celtic in the league. The pressure will go on Celtic if Rangers are to overcome Kilmarnock."

Allan suggested McInnes had built a "siege mentality, everybody's against us" and also added some quality players after Rangers' poor start to his tenure.

"That's not to say they're a great brand of football, they're not, but they've found that way - having real athleticism on the team now," he said.

However, Allan thought that, having beaten Celtic twice in quick succession, the pressure was on to prove they have "that consistency" against other teams after the international break.

Then again, if Rangers go top with a win at Rugby Park, the spotlight switches to O'Neill's side away to Motherwell on Sunday "because all eyes are on Celtic at this moment".

Wilfried Nancy insists he "loved" his 33 days in charge of Celtic but believes he should have waited until January to take over rather than December as some players were resistant to his methods having become too comfortable under caretaker manager Martin O'Neill. (La Presse, external)

The chances of Celtic or Rangers reignited their interest in Fares Ghedjemis appear to have ended after the 24-year-old winger signed a contract extension with Frosinone until 2030 after the club promoted to Serie A slapped an £18m price tag on the Algeria international. (Glasgow Times, external)

Celtic have no plans to reignite a move for former Marcelo Saracchi, who left Boca Juniors for Houston Dynamo after his loan in Glasgow, in any upcoming transfer windows, despite the 28-year-old left-back being keen to return. (Football Insider, external)

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Martin O'Neill is hurting from the criticism that has come his way, but it will fuel his desire to spark a Celtic revival.

That's the verdict of O'Neill's former Parkhead skipper Paul Lambert as the champions prepare to return to action on Sunday away to Motherwell.

Manager O'Neill this week affirmed his desire to stay and fight after briefly considering his future following a run of three consecutive defeats - including back-to-back derby losses - before the international break.

"I think he would have been hurt by the level of criticism," Lambert told BBC Scotland. "You can lose three games in a week, but I think it's just the manner, the way it happened.

"I never thought he would leave. I didn't think the club would sack him but he knows he's not immune from criticism.

"I think the decision for him, if he wanted to walk away, would be with himself. But it's good that he's staying on because you know what you're getting.

"I'm pretty sure he won't take what's happened in the last few weeks lying down.

"Knowing the manager, he's not one to go lightly. He'll try and do everything he can to rectify it. And hopefully the team bounce back when they play Motherwell at the weekend."

Lambert insists the players must offer more to get their season back on track.

"They have to step up," he added. "In the two Rangers games and the European game, they looked a little bit flat and jaded.

"But I think the rest might have done them good. Players will have looked at themselves and asked, am I doing enough? I think that's what Celtic need.

"They need the characters to come through and actually start to put markers on teams again.

"You can lose a game and people are coming for you. But they're still at the top of the table, which is good from Celtic's perspective."