Celtic manager Kieran O'Neill has expressed hope that the club can strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes, following their exit from the Champions League play-off round against LASK. The Scottish champions suffered a collapse in the second leg, having led 4-1 on aggregate at one stage, only to fall to a defeat that sent them into the Europa League instead.
The manner of the exit has reignited frustration among Celtic supporters, who have voiced concerns over the club's recruitment strategy in recent transfer windows. This marks the second consecutive season Celtic have fallen at this hurdle, having also lost in last year's Champions League play-offs to Kairat Almaty.
Ahead of the tie with LASK, Celtic brought in four new faces - Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran, Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur - but those additions were offset by the departures of two key performers, Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels, who moved to Ipswich Town and West Ham United respectively. Supporters have questioned whether the incoming business was sufficient to compensate for the loss of such influential figures.
O'Neill acknowledged the significance of Champions League qualification, not just in terms of prestige but also for its appeal to potential signings. "The Champions League is a big carrot for, particularly a lot of younger players," he said. He added that while the Europa League remains a credible competition, it does not carry the same allure. "The prestige is not there the same [in the Europa League], it's still a great competition. Obviously, the finance is still the big thing," O'Neill explained, underlining the financial gulf between Europe's two premier club competitions.
Turning to the specifics of Tuesday's defeat, O'Neill did not shy away from describing it as a bitter blow. He conceded that Celtic had let a golden opportunity slip after dominating the opening exchanges. "[This was] the major disappointment," he said, adding that his side "should've been out of sight by half-time" given their commanding position in the tie at that stage.
However, the second half told a very different story, as Celtic's control evaporated and LASK fought their way back into contention. "We did not do well in the second half," O'Neill admitted, reflecting on how the momentum shifted away from his team when it mattered most.
The Celtic boss took personal responsibility for the outcome rather than pointing fingers at individual players. "The result's the most important thing and we got beaten. I'm obviously disappointed with myself. I have to really analyse it again," he said. O'Neill also suggested that defensive organisation could have been tighter during the crucial closing stages. "We could've maybe defended our box a wee bit better. I have to look at my own part before I look at anybody else's," he stated.
Despite the setback, O'Neill was quick to stress the importance of moving forward with resilience. With domestic and European fixtures on the horizon, he called for an immediate response from his squad. "You have to recover pretty quickly. You really have to. We have to show real character," he said, signalling his intent to rally the team both mentally and in terms of squad depth as the transfer window edges toward its close.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.