Martin O’Neill has discussed what his philosophy is likely to look like between now and the end of the campaign as he comments on individual performances

Celtic interim boss Martin O’Neill has challenged experienced goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to get back to the performance levels he was showing during his interim stint at the club.

O’Neill won seven of his eight matches in temporary charge of the Hoops after taking the reins from Brendan Rodgers after his shock resignation. During this period he selected Schemeichel in every match and had very few concerns about the 39-year-old’s quality.

However, both before and after O’Neill’s interim stint, questions have been raised about whether Schemeichel still has the ability to perform for Celtic at the age of 39.

Schmeichel was signed in 2024 to replace Joe Hart and was at first hailed as an upgrade on the former Manchester City star after a fantastic first campaign.

But since making a high-profile error in the Scottish Cup final against Hearts, he’s not quite looked as assured between the posts.

O’Neill sets clear challenge for Schmeichel

Schmeichel hit the headlines when he made a costly mistake against Motherwell in a 2-0 loss in December but scrutiny surrounding his form hit new heights in January when fans began jeering his touches after Mikey Moore found the net against him in the Glasgow derby.

It marked one of Schmeichel’s darkest days in a Celtic shirt, but O’Neill is not currently planning to drop the veteran for Viljami Sinisalo despite the Finn filling in well at the end of last season.

“I don't know enough about his counterpart, the young Finnish lad, who is a very, very fine lad. He didn't play in any of the games that I had, but he played against Livingston,” admitted O’Neill via Daily Record.

He added: "Kasper's got a lot of experience, I think a really, really terrific goalkeeper. Like everything else, you have to keep proving yourself. And this is it, I now, back again, have to do the same thing. And it's not a throwaway line, it's absolutely true.

"And this idea that people don't have to, I don't see it. So, if I can get, let's say in terms of just getting Kasper back to what he did for me, and that's very, very short term, that would be fine.

"He made some big saves for us, big moments, you know. We had a big save against Rangers in the semi-final, he made a big save at one each-out in Feyenoord. Big save when the boy’s through, makes the save again. Those are the things he's good at.

"I think just getting players back to - that sounds as if it’s been a major change - but really just what he did during my time."

Schmeichel needs to improve under O’Neill

Schmeichel’s dip in form under Wilfried Nancy along with the poor performances of other individuals leaves Celtic with a mountain to climb if they are to be crowned champions again.

The Dane was perhaps a victim of risky and often wayward passes which put his team under increased pressure, and some of that can be attributed to Nancy and Rodgers’ style of football. Schmeichel, however, needs to rediscover his best form if Celtic are to get anywhere near the title again this term.

“Kasper is experienced enough to cope with any kind of system put in front of him. You just take responsibility for your own performance. He has been a class goalkeeper and his father would go down as one of the best ever if the world ended tomorrow. He’s one of the top ten to have ever played the game,” added O’Neill

“I was very lucky because I played with Pat Jennings and Peter Shilton, so I have a warped view of goalkeepers after that. Kasper has been excellent for me in my time here.”

O’Neill went on to state that he’d like to avoid making wholesale changes to the formation and tactics used at the football club in the short-term. He admitted that this is something he’s tried to take from the legendary Brian Clough, who managed him during his playing days at Nottingham Forest.

He added: “I don't want to make too many adjustments and things like that. It'll be a bit like when Brendan left, I don't think we changed that much. I don't think we did. Again, getting back to the point, there are some things that I think that I would do as a manager that even Brendan wasn't doing. It doesn’t mean I was right.

"Brendan had the success, so who's to say? Just very tiny adjustments. Not to complicate things with the players, so they're not going on with five or six different instructions on the field. Honestly, as a player, I could never cope with it. I couldn't cope with it. Brian Clough, a magician, never gave us new instructions like 24 hours before the game.The things that he preached was real simplicity. So, that's the way I would go about it.”