Celtic Need Top-Level Signings to Match O’Neill’s Standards

Former captain hails O’Neill’s transformative impact, questions current standards, and outlines the rebuild needed to restore Celtic’s dominance

Paul Lambert has played under some of the most respected managers in modern football, but when it comes to leadership, few have left a mark quite like Martin O’Neill at Celtic.

The former Hoops captain, who won four league titles with the Scottish champions, places O’Neill’s influence alongside elite company. Having worked under Champions League-winning coach Otmar Hitzfeld and title-winning boss Wim Jansen, Lambert experienced contrasting styles at the highest level. Yet it was O’Neill’s ability to inspire, rather than instruct, that defined his impact.

“We all knew the game, we knew our roles,” Lambert reflects. “What we needed was someone we could follow.”

That distinction sits at the heart of O’Neill’s management. He was not a coach who micromanaged or immersed himself in players’ personal lives. Instead, he maintained a distance that commanded respect, fostering a dressing room culture where commitment was non-negotiable.

“He never got too close to us,” Lambert explains, “but you would run through a wall for him. That’s the key - you’ve got to have people who will work for you.”

It is a trait Lambert tried to carry into his own managerial career. While he acknowledges the influence of Hitzfeld’s tactical excellence, O’Neill’s leadership - his authority, clarity, and emotional intelligence - provided a template for handling pressure and uniting a squad.

That same leadership, Lambert believes, has been vital in Celtic’s recent campaign culminating in a league and cup double.

Amid a turbulent season marked by inconsistency, managerial upheaval, and what he describes as a clear drop in standards, Lambert insists there was only one man capable of rescuing the situation.

“If there was anybody who was going to get them out of that predicament, it was him,” he says.

O’Neill’s return injected belief into a side that had faltered under both Wilfried Nancy and Brendan Rodgers at different stages. According to Lambert, the turnaround was not rooted in tactical overhaul but in restoring fundamentals - effort, unity, and purpose.

“The Celtic players were not performing for Wilfried Nancy or at the start with Brendan Rodgers, so I don’t know what happened there. But then the manager came in not once but twice and gave them a new lease of life. Not once, but twice. That tells you everything.”

Still, Lambert is clear-eyed about the broader picture. While Celtic ultimately won the title on the final day, he does not see the current level as sustainable, particularly in Europe.

“It’s not top-level standard. It’s obvious,” he admits. “Celtic have to improve, not just for Europe but even to dominate the league again.”

The campaign, he suggests, should serve as a warning. Both Celtic and Rangers were pushed to their limits, exposing vulnerabilities that cannot be ignored.

“For both clubs, it’s been an eye-opener. They won’t let that happen again.”

As attention turns to the summer, Lambert outlines what he sees as a critical rebuild. Incremental changes will not suffice; Celtic require quality additions with immediate impact.

“They need three or four players coming in there to enhance several positions, but the players have to be top level. They should be players that help Celtic make a mark in Europe.”

Key positions will demand attention, including goalkeeper, with Kasper Schmeichel’s departure. Even though Viljami Sinisalo has done well since replacing Schmeichel as Celtic number one, Lambert suggests Celtic may still need to strengthen.

Beyond individual roles, however, he emphasises mentality.

“Carter-Vickers is going to come back at some point. I think Celtic will need a few players, but they’ll need players that are ready made. You might get away with one or two younger ones coming in, but you need that core as well that know second place is last – and certainly third is way off the scale. We just don’t finish third.”

It is a philosophy forged during his own time at the club, where standards were absolute and expectations unrelenting.

Lambert, speaking to Betway, also highlights the importance of unity - something Celtic clearly lacked during difficult spells earlier this season.

“Celtic is a difficult place to play when things are against you, but when there’s unity at the club, it’s an incredible place to play. So when they had that divide this season, that was certainly detrimental to them. But all credit to the team, they stuck in and got the title.”

That cohesion, restored under O’Neill, proved decisive in the title run-in. And while questions remain over whether O’Neill will continue in any capacity, Lambert is unequivocal about his standing in Celtic history.

Jock Stein, he says, will always be the benchmark. But just behind him sits O’Neill - a manager whose influence spans generations.

“I would put Martin O’Neill just slightly behind him [Stein], and that’s the biggest accolade I can give him. Not just because of what he did for us when we were there, ” Lambert says, “but for what he’s done for this team as well.”

For Celtic, the challenge now is to ensure that resurgence is not temporary. With the right recruitment, stronger leadership structures, and lessons learned from a chaotic season, Lambert believes the club can reassert itself - both domestically and in Europe.

But as his reflections make clear, success at Celtic is never just about talent. It is about standards, mentality, and having someone worth following.

And in Martin O’Neill, Lambert sees exactly that.