Martin O’Neill plotting return of a Celtic striking partnership

Martin O’Neill plotting return of a Celtic striking partnership

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill  has been dropping hints that he’s planing on playing with two up top this season, creating a Duran and Hogh partnership with shades of Larsson and Sutton…

23rd May 2026; Hampden Park, Scottish Cup Final Football, Celtic versus Dunfermline; Celtic manager Martin ONeill is led off the pitch by PR assistant Sharon Lyons.

Martin O’Neill has hinted that he could go two up top in the upcoming campaign, with new signings Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh the expected partnership.

The gaffer spoke about his belief that the two player who operate as centre forwards, could combine to good effect, but suggested he might need to tinker with the long established and the favoured 4-3-3 formation usually adopted by the Scottish champions which has brought great domestic success for the club in recent years.

“I would think that, given time, the two players should be able to play together without a problem,” said he explained. “I don’t know whether that means changing systems, changing all that type of stuff, but, you know, they’re good players.”

Camilo Duran of Celtic Celtic v Middlesbrough, Pre Season Friendly, Football, Celtic Park, – 18 Jul y2026. Photo Phil Oldham IMAGO/Shutterstock

On Camilo Duran, the manager added: “Yes, he can break off wide as well, so that’s encouraging. I’m not so sure that’s eventually where I want him to play. We might have to do that for the time being. But I see him being able to play as a striker or just off the striker.”

In his first spell in charge of the club at the start of the century, Martin famously used his tried and trusted 3-5-2 formation, with a two man strike force of Henrik Larsson, and Chris Sutton his preferred option, but he also had the likes of John Hartson to call upon.

“We played a sort of a 3-5-2 for a lot of times,” he said, reflecting on that wonderful time for Celtic Football Club.

“But then we changed it when some teams cottoned on to it, in European matches as well. And then we ended up changing to 4-4-2. We played that very often. But we had serious running power wide, which was great in those days.

“If it meant us having to adjust to get them [Duran and Hogh] to play together, that shouldn’t be a problem. Famous last words, but it shouldn’t be.

“And this is the point. We should be able to adapt. We’ve played this 4-3-3 system for quite some considerable time. It’s been successful, which is fine, but we should be able to adapt during the course of the game. It’s only a matter of changing people 10 yards in, 10 yards out.

“There’s not much more to it than that.”

New Celtic signing Kasper Hogh is unveiled to the mainstream media at Celtic Park. Photo Roddy Scott IMAGO / Shutterstock

So change could be coming and this obviously will be in the manager’s thoughts as he looks towards the entire season. In the meantime for Flag Day on Monday night against Dundee at Celtic Park, the Hoops will likely remain as a 4-3-3 side with Kasper Hogh through the middle, Camilo Duran on the left and Yang returning on the right after his appearances in the World Cup for Korea.

I would expect the Celtic team on Monday to look something like this:

Camilo Duran of Celtic celebrates scoring opening goal with James Forrest to make it Celtic 1-0 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)

Sinisalo; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; McGregor (c), Engels, Nygren; Yang, Hogh and Duran. Liam Scales of Celtic in action against AC Milan during Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Remember Liam Scales is suspended for the first two matches of the season.

Alistair Johnston of Celtic on the ball while under pressure from Callum Morrison of Dunfermline during the Scottish Cup Final match between Celtic and Dunfermline at Hampden Park on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

Both Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels are subjects of transfer enquires from south of the border but Everton have yet to place a bid for the Canadian defender while West Ham’s early approaches have come nowhere near Celtic’s valuation of the £25m rated Belgian midfielder. Expect both to start on Monday night.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

Don’t miss this interview with former Celt Daniel Church who recently had to hang up his boots due to ongoing injury issues. Conor Spence reports…

Exclusive: Daniel Church on Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon and life after football

Daniel Church of Celtic, South Shields v Celtic, Semi Final – South Shields Challenge Cup 2018, Mariners Park, South Shields, UK, 29 July 2018. Photo Richard Lee/BPI/Shutterstock

Once tipped as one of Celtic’s brightest academy prospects, Daniel Church looked destined for a long career in professional football…

Daniel Church of Celtic, South Shields v Celtic, Semi Final – South Shields Challenge Cup 2018, Mariners Park, South Shields, UK, 29 July 2018. Photo Richard Lee/BPI/Shutterstock

Instead, at just 26 years old, the former Hoops defender has already been forced to walk away from the game.

Speaking candidly on The Celtic Exchange podcast, Church reflected on the journey that took him from Celtic’s academy to early retirement through injury. Along the way came invaluable lessons under Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon, a surreal reunion with the club while playing under Barry Ferguson, and the challenge of finding a new purpose after football.

Church progressed through Celtic’s youth ranks alongside talents including Karamoko Dembele, Stephen Welsh, Kerr McInroy and current Hoops goalkeeper Ross Doohan.

3rd May 2026; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Ross Doohan of Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

His promise was recognised in 2018 when Celtic rewarded him with a new three-year contract...

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →