Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill believes the club will return to prominence and “compete properly” again in European football.
O’Neill led Celtic to a first away victory in Europe since 2021 in Thursday’s 3-1 win over Feyenoord, leaving them well placed to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, with games against Roma, Bologna and Utrecht remaining.
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The 73-year-old expects Sunday’s Premiership match at Hibernian to be his last in charge with a deal for Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy believed to be close.
O’Neill enjoyed consistent success in Europe during his first spell as Celtic manager between 2000 and 2005, but the club failed to reach the Champions League this season and have suffered setbacks against the likes of Bodo/Glimt, Midtjylland, Malmo, Ferencvaros, Copenhagen, Cluj, AEK Athens and Maribor in recent years.
“What I think will happen is that Celtic will come back,” O’Neill said. “They will compete properly in Europe. That’s my strong belief and that should be the aim for this football club.
“Domestically we’ve been very, very strong. But you want to be strong in European football because that’s what was set in 1967. And that, I’m afraid, is what it’s all about.
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“So we have to be that. Are we at this minute? No, we’re not. Midjytlland taught us a lesson.
“But it was nice to restore some of that. And that might be a sign. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to take all the points. But qualification would be nice to get through into the knockout stages. That would be lovely. And it would be a start.
“But mark my words, Celtic will be back to properly involved in European football.”
O’Neill hopes to have full-backs Colby Donovan and Marcelo Saracchi available for his final game.
Donovan was limping heavily before his cross led to Benjamin Nygren’s clincher in Rotterdam and was replaced by Anthony Ralston. Saracchi is set to return from a hamstring problem.
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“Colby got a stud in his foot, which looked quite nasty,” O’Neill said.
“I thought he had taken cramp, but by the time he came off it was bleeding and it didn’t look great.
“But I think he’ll just push it off and say he wants to play, which is lovely. Saracchi wants to be fit all the time so he’s available for Sunday, which is great.”
