Celtic star calls for clarity as identity crisis deepens after Old Firm setback mounts pressure on Martin O’Neill

Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers has called for greater consistency and a clearly defined identity as the Parkhead side attempt to halt a run of three successive defeats.

The experienced centre-back insists the squad remains fully behind Martin O’Neill despite the manager admitting he must reflect on his future following Sunday’s 1-0 Old Firm defeat by Rangers.

For the USA international, though, the solution begins with establishing a clear blueprint and sticking to it. Celtic have altered both personnel and formation during their recent struggles, but Carter-Vickers believes the emphasis now has to be on achieving consistency.

“I think consistency, consistency of messaging, consistency of ideas, consistency of effort,” he said. “And, if you start there, it might not be right straight away, but in my experience, especially at this club, you always seem to get there in the end. So I think that's what we need to focus on.”

Celtic urged to find their identity and stick to it

Carter-Vickers believes Celtic’s problems cannot simply be attributed to the players selected or the system deployed. Instead, he wants the squad to develop a collective understanding of exactly what it is expected to be.

He continued: “I don't think it's necessarily players or who's on the pitch. I think it's just an identity and an idea of how we want to be as a team. I'm not just talking about a shape. I'm not just talking about where players need to stand. I am talking about just everything as a whole. Effort, positioning is one thing, and just the way we want to be as a team.”

Asked whether that identity could be clearer at this stage, Carter-Vickers replied: “I think so, yeah.”

The defender acknowledged that Celtic’s substantial turnover of players during the summer transfer window has inevitably contributed to the process taking time. He drew parallels with his own arrival at the club and the subsequent return of Brendan Rodgers.

“When I first signed, there was a lot of new players,” he recalled. “In the first six months of the season, we were nowhere near where the team we were in the second six months, or in the second season.

“The same when Brendan came back. Again, it was an all-rightish first six months, and then progressed into something that was of a very high level. We’re probably at the start of that process again.”

Manager backed to turn club’s fortunes around again

Carter-Vickers insists the information being delivered by O’Neill and his coaching staff is clear, but argues the message must remain consistent long enough for it to become second nature.

“In my head, the plan and the info we're getting is pretty clear,” he stated. “But, again, it has to be clear and consistent over a period of time and we’re probably just not quite at that point yet.”

With veteran boss O’Neill’s position under intense scrutiny, Carter-Vickers was unequivocal about the dressing room’s stance.

“All I can say is, as players, we're behind the manager and behind the management team,” he confessed. “What he achieved last year was unbelievable and, obviously as a playing group, we're grateful for him for that. So we're still behind him and we're going to do our best for him.”

Regarding supporters frustrations after three defeats, Carter-Vickers said: “At the end of the day, it's a result-based business and our results haven't been good enough. So I completely understand it from a fan's point of view. But again, it's about us as players, together with the coaching staff, really nailing down what we want to be as a team and just working towards that day-in, day-out.”