Martin O’Neill seeks replacement as Celtic faces LASK in Champions League

Martin O’Neill admits he wanted Engels in his midfield for Celtic’s Champions League play-off – but accepts why the player chose not to risk it.

The midfielder, on the brink of a move away, told the club he “didn't want to play in the matches in case he got injured”, a stance O’Neill describes as understandable given what is at stake for the player’s future.

Replacement hunt goes to the wire

Engels’ reluctance leaves Celtic short in a key area at the sharp end of European qualification, and O’Neill is still scrambling for a solution before the deadline.

“We're still in the process of trying to do that,” he says of finding a replacement. “We haven't been able to get someone in, in time, to do that. But there are a number of players that we're looking at and hopefully we will by the end of the transfer window.”

The clock is ticking, but O’Neill is clear where his priorities lie. For him, the draw of the Champions League is not about balance sheets.

The prestige of reaching the group stage matters more than the money, even if he freely admits that the cash would allow Celtic to bring in more quality before the league phase kicks off.

Hatate interest and a challenge laid down

Reo Hatate’s future remains another live issue. O’Neill confirms outside interest in the Japanese midfielder.

“There has been interest,” he says, before stressing: “But I don't think there's been anything definitive. That may well happen in the next week.”

If Hatate stays, O’Neill has no intention of easing him out. Quite the opposite. He would welcome a fightback from a player he still rates extremely highly, referencing the level Hatate hit “two seasons ago” when he was “one of best midfielders in Scotland”.

The message is clear: if Hatate wants to stay and scrap for his place, the door is wide open.

Respect for LASK and a brutal test ahead

Standing between Celtic and the group stage are Austrian champions LASK, a side O’Neill clearly respects.

He calls them a “very fine side” and expects the tie to be “very, very difficult”. Celtic’s staff have done their homework.

“We've watched them now on numerous occasions. We've had people watching them live. They are very fast up front as well, lots of good players on the side. And they're very, very strong. Physically strong as well.”

The first leg in Glasgow offers Celtic a chance to seize control, but O’Neill refuses to frame it as do-or-die.

A lead to take to Austria would be “lovely”, he says, but not “the end of the world” if it doesn’t come. What matters more is that his side meet the contest head on.

Celtic, he insists, are “ready for the challenge”.

“It's up to the players now as much as anything else. I think the quality that we brought in will bear fruit during the course of the season.”

O’Neill’s European return

At 74, O’Neill finds himself back in the Champions League spotlight for the first time in more than 20 years. He did not see this coming.

“I didn't think last September or October I'd be sitting here thinking about a Champions League game. If I was, I'd certainly be watching it on TV.”

Now he is in the dugout again, and the old competitive spark is clearly still there.

“There are challenges in this Champions League. You could get nothing else but excited about it, which is fantastic, especially at my age.”

Old rivalry waits in the wings

Beyond Europe, another fixture looms large on the horizon: Rangers away in the League Cup quarter-finals.

O’Neill will not let it distract him from LASK, but he does not hide the anticipation.

“I'm looking forward to it when it comes to it. Naturally, the concentration is totally in these two games. But it is what it is. We're drawn away from home again.”

For now, the focus is on clearing one of the toughest hurdles in club football. If Celtic can navigate LASK, the money follows, the recruitment picture sharpens, and O’Neill’s late-career European chapter suddenly looks a lot more dangerous for anyone drawn against his side.