Martin O’Neill is back. Now the Celtic board must do its part.

I will not lie; when Celtic officially confirmed Martin O’Neill as permanent manager, I had a massive smile on my face.

Not because he was some emergency option. Not because he was simply the safe choice. No. I was delighted because Celtic have handed the keys of the football club to a man who understands exactly what Celtic is all about.

Martin O’Neill is not some rookie manager learning on the job. He is not somebody who needs to be told what success looks like at Celtic. He already knows. He understands the pressure. He understands the demands.

Most importantly, he understands the supporters.

The man has already delivered a domestic double in this second spell. He walked into a difficult situation, steadied the ship, reignited belief and reminded everyone that Celtic should never accept second best.

He restored a winning mentality which had been drifting away, and he did it while carrying the weight of expectation that comes with managing the biggest club in Scotland.

Now comes the important part. The Celtic board must back him.

I do not mean backing him with empty statements or fancy words in interviews. I mean real backing. Serious backing. The kind of backing that shows they actually believe in their manager.

If Martin O’Neill identifies a player he wants, Celtic should move heaven and earth to get that deal done.

If Martin O’Neill believes the squad needs strengthening in certain positions, Celtic should listen and then act on it.

If Martin O’Neill wants changes behind the scenes, Celtic should listen and deliver whatever change he requires.

If Martin O’Neill has a vision for where he wants this football club to go, Celtic should listen. Because here is the thing. O’Neill is nobody’s fool.

He sees football differently from most people. He understands the game on a level many executives never will. That is why the board would be making a massive mistake if they thought they knew better than him when it comes to football matters.

Too often in recent years, we have watched transfer windows drag on endlessly. We have watched targets disappear. We have watched supporters grow frustrated while rivals and European opponents strengthened. Celtic cannot afford another summer of hesitation.

Not this time. Not when they have a manager capable of building something truly special. He has proved it. He delivered last season’s miracle title.

The foundations are already there. Celtic remain the biggest force in Scottish football. The supporters remain the best in the country. The stadium remains a fortress when it is rocking. The squad has talent.

But talent alone does not guarantee success. Success comes from ambition. Success comes from planning. Success comes from having everybody pulling in the same direction.

That means the manager, the players, the recruitment team, the board and the supporters all united behind one objective.

Martin O’Neill has already shown he can get players fighting for the badge. He has already shown he can create belief. He has already shown he can deliver trophies.

Imagine what he could do if he receives genuine support? Imagine what he could build over the next few seasons? As a Celtic supporter, that is the exciting part.

This does not feel like a simple short-term appointment.

It feels like the beginning of something. It feels like the opportunity to create a Celtic side that dominates domestically while becoming a far more serious force in Europe. A team that does not simply turn up to participate, but turns up expecting to compete.

Of course, there will be challenges.

There always are.

Football never follows a perfectly straight path. There will be setbacks. There will be difficult results. There will be moments when patience is required.

But I trust Martin O’Neill. He has earned that trust.

He has already proven he can handle pressure. He has already proven he can win. He has already proven he understands exactly what wearing the Celtic badge means.

Now, because I am a Ginger Witch, I cannot finish this article without making a few predictions. My senses are tingling.

I can see a Celtic side that becomes stronger over the next twelve months. I can see significant additions arriving this summer. I can see players buying fully into O’Neill’s methods. I can see a squad that rediscovers its hunger. I can see a team that starts playing with purpose, intensity and confidence.

I can see trophies. I can see rival supporters becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Celtic continue to pull away.

Most of all, I can see belief returning.

Because that is what Martin O’Neill brings. Belief. Belief that Celtic should be winning. Belief that Celtic should be dominating. Belief that Celtic should never settle for mediocrity.

The supporters will do their part. We always do. We will fill Celtic Park. We will follow the team across Scotland and beyond. We will sing for ninety minutes. We will back the players when they need us most.

What we need now is for the board to do its part as well.

Trust the manager. Support the manager. Work with the manager.

Give him the tools he needs.

Because if Celtic genuinely back Martin O’Neill, then I believe we are only seeing the beginning of what this team can achieve.

The double was the first chapter. The real story might just be starting.

And if my predictions are right, the rest of Scottish football should be very worried indeed.

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