Martin O’Neill gives update on Celtic World Cup trio

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has given supporters an update on World Cup trio Auston Trusty, Benjamin Nygren and Alistair Johnston, following his side’s 2-2 draw with Italian giants and European footballing royalty, AC Milan at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon…

James Forrest of Celtic scores to make it Celtic 2-0 AC Milan during the Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

James Forrest’s 17th season Celtic fairytale

The Bhoys played very well in the first-half of the match, sailing into a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from red-hot and in-form Colombian signing, Camilo Duran, whilst the evergreen James Forrest scored a peach too, in what is turning into a footballing fairytale story, as he enters his 17th season with the club.

Francesco Camarda of AC Milan scores his second goal of the game to make it Celtic 2-2 AC Milan during the Celtic v AC Milan match in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Celtic showed signs of the issues that plagued them last year though, when they collapsed in the minutes after the second-half began, losing a penalty (albeit dubious) and the succumbing to a well-worked header by AC Milan striker, Francesco Camarda. That was eerily similar to the 45 minute team we saw last campaign before the split, when we would get one good half of football from the side, then they would crumble inexplicably.

James Forrest of Celtic celebrates scoring second goal of the game to make it Celtic 2-0 AC Milan with Sebastian Tounekti of Celtic during the Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

This is just a friendly though thankfully, but the real work now begins a week on Monday, when Dundee arrive at Celtic Park on Flag Day.

With supporters eager for new signings to come through the door to help aid the group that is already there, Martin O’Neill provided an update on three of the current squad who had been playing at this year’s World Cup, in the form of Auston Trusty, Benjamin Nygren, and Alistair Johnston.

Speaking after the match, O’Neill said: “Trusty comes back on Monday. He’s had some family things, you know. I’ve given him a little bit of extra time, which I think he’s deserved. Nygren’s here at this minute. Didn’t play. He’s got a bit of an Achilles problem at the moment,” the manager confirmed.

“I’m probably less concerned about those boys because they have played matches in the World Cup. Okay, so you take a little bit of a break. And the last thing you want to do is be rushing them back. Like Kieran Tierney plays for, what was it, 60 minutes today. And yeah, so it’s by Monday, I think that everybody will be back.”

On his highly-coveted Canadian right-back, Alistair Johnston, the manager added: “Alistair, I was hoping that Alistair might have played maybe 20 minutes today. He was ready for it. I have to be guided. If anything happened to him, then I would get it in the neck from the sports science boys,” the 74-year-old said at his post-match mainstream media conference, with the Celtic fan media still excluded, for having the cheek to hold the club to account on behalf of the Celtic support.

This means that the questions supporters want to be asked don’t happen and instead as a support we have to rely on the mainstream journalists to do the job. After Daizen was sold yesterday, the red-tops were all briefed about the imminent arrival of Kasper Hogh.

The ban certainly won’t stop the Celtic fan media sites and podcasts holding those at the club to account as we strive to make Celtic the best possible version our club can possibly be.

Paul Gillespie

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