# Chris Sutton thought Celtic masterplan was a mistake before Euro win **By:** Chris Sutton **Published:** 2026-11-07T06:00:00Z **Source:** [Daily Record](https://dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/think-celtic-masterplan-mistake-right-37851517) --- # I thought Celtic masterplan was a mistake but I was right to withhold judgement as Martin O'Neill silences critics – Chris Sutton ## Sutty feared the worst when he saw the Celtic team sheet for Besiktas but surprise win could be start of the fightback ![](https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/article37851607.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200f/0_JS423535337.jpg) Celtic manager Martin O'Neill gestures on the touchline Martin O’Neill has chucked it. The [Celtic](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/celtic-fc) team sheet is more like a white flag. He’s given up the ghost in Europe. Those were just some of the messages that lit up my phone when the team was announced for Besiktas the other night. I might have had similar feelings but I didn’t respond because I know football has a funny habit of biting you on the backside. And [Martin O’Neill](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/martin-neill) has a funny way of making folk eat their words. Turns out I was right to withhold judgement. Fair play to Martin and to the team. They’ve taken a battering in recent weeks – and rightly so. They’ve deserved the scrutiny because the results and performances have not been good enough. They also deserve the credit for the other night though – and it might silence a few critics for a few days. It was a huge result in the circumstances. Not many saw it coming either – including myself. Celtic looked dead and buried in the [Europa League](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/europa-league) and while it’s still a tall order, at least they now have hope. Toreense away won’t be easy as the Portuguese second division side have managed a couple of wins in the competition and pushed Sunderland all the way. But it’s a winnable match for Celtic. Likewise, Omonia are no mugs in Cyprus but it shouldn’t be beyond Celtic to get a result out there. Marseille are struggling right now and they come to Glasgow after the New Year before a tough trip to Belgium for Union Saint Gilloise. Can they get to the 10 points they might need to get through? It’s possible. On the flip side though, anything is possible with this Celtic team right now. Would anyone hang their hat on a comfortable afternoon against Kilmarnock on Sunday? That’s the issue. Consistency is the key right now. O’Neill will say his masterplan worked the other night and it was a stroke of genius keeping it tight and then unleashing Camilo [Duran](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/camilo-duran) and Callum Osmand late on. I thought it was a mistake keeping them in reserve though and if the gamble backfired then O’Neill would have taken severe flak. Because that starting line up was a real eye-opener. Of course it was. Sebastian Tounekti replacing Osmand. James Forrest at 35 coming in for big-money signing Haissem Hassan? Misfiring Kasper Hogh up from while red hot Duran is on the bench? Those looked like risky calls. Then there was lobbing in Jordan Lotomba. ![](https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/article37851590.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200e/0_JS423568584.jpg) Jordan Lotomba of Celtic runs with the ball I actually had some sympathy for the full back. He’s clearly not fully up to speed having arrived looking like he’d been on a three month all inclusive holiday over the summer. It’s a tough first start up against a team like Besiktas and being asked to do a job on a guy like Leandro Trossard. I thought Arsenal were daft to let him go and he showed his quality the other night. Lotomba was up against it and it was a difficult evening. But he’s not the one to blame for the malfunctioning transfer setup that saw him arrive in the final days of the window. It’s a bit unfair to slaughter him. Likewise Hogh had another frustrating night. Everyone wanted to see how he got on with proper wingers alongside him and they got their wish with Tounekti and Forrest. But the results were the same. I don’t think Hogh even got a touch in the penalty box but that is not all on him. He’s struggling for decent service and I’d still like to see O’Neill finding a way to get him and Duran on the pitch at the same time. We know why it can’t happen though – Celtic don’t have the legs in midfield to cope. So it might be something that has to wait until that is addressed in the January transfer window. In the meantime Duran simply has to start. You could say the same about Osmand. ![](https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/article37848850.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200e/0_JS423521512.jpg) Callum Osmand scores to make it 1-1 He’s been a real livelier and I felt for him a bit as he got lumped in with the criticism from Callum McGregor about players playing in positions that don’t suit their profiles. Osmand might not be a winger but he brings a lot of energy, enthusiasm – and threat. He’s been a breath of fresh air. He was brilliant off the bench the other night with a superb goal, an assist for Duran and another one ruled out for offside. That’s the kind of impact you want from an attacking player, whether it’s from the wee areas or cutting in through the middle. Osmand is just starting out in his senior career and needs to be managed after a couple of bad injuries. But O’Neill has Jota making progress and Yang Hyun-jun could be back this weekend as well. All of a sudden Celtic have options. Up until now O’Neill has been talking about the need to rotate the squad but the big question has been whether the squad is strong enough. It’s still debatable but having a few more back is certainly a major boost and it will give him a few dilemmas. The final 30 minutes at Celtic Park the other night also [brought some much-needed positivity after a week of doom and gloom](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/7-celtic-takeaways-besiktas-glory-37849424). Martin will need more of it to get a victory against Kilmarnock to take into the international break. The three wins in 10 record was thrown at him but the only way to avoid that is to build a run of victories and change the stats. The questions remain but the white flag didn’t go up the other night – now Martin and his team must show they can keep up the fight.