Martin O’Neill Drops Celtic Hint On Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Martin O’Neill has offered encouragement to Michel-Ange Balikwisha after the winger was left unused during Celtic’s superb 3–1 win over Feyenoord, insisting the Belgian will have a clean slate when Wilfried Nancy arrives next week.

Balikwisha, who joined the club in August in a £5m move from Royal Antwerp, has found minutes hard to come by in recent weeks as other wide players have stepped up under O’Neill’s interim spell.

The result in Rotterdam, Celtic’s first win in the Netherlands since 2001, came with standout performances from Yang Hyun-jun, Daizen Maeda and the impressive Benjamin Nygren off the bench.

With competition for places fierce, Balikwisha was again an unused option on the night, a sign of both Celtic’s current momentum and the challenge he faces to force his way into the starting picture.

But O’Neill made clear after the match that the winger’s opportunity is far from gone.

With Nancy expected to officially take charge early next week, the interim boss hinted that several players on the fringes of the squad could benefit from the change in leadership. Balikwisha, in particular, was singled out as someone who will be given the chance to impress the incoming manager.

O’Neill revealed he had spoken directly to the 24-year-old, reassuring him that the fresh chapter about to begin at Celtic will allow every player to reset, compete and show what they can offer. It was a timely message for a player still settling into Scottish football and eager to make his mark.

He said: (TNT Sports), “You cannot play this game without confidence, and that’s the point, but what happens over these couple of weeks, you start to see some players (emerging).

“There’s one or two lads at this minute, like Balikwisha, who have not had a chance to play – I just said to him in the dressing room, ‘With the next manager coming in, he will see what you can do.’

“So some players who have stepped into the team and onto the mark have actually excelled in that sense, so they do not want to give their position away.

“Overall, it is up to players to do that. Confidence is everything if you can play.”

O’Neill’s message to Balikwisha was simple: the competition around him is strong, but the door isn’t closed.

The Belgian came in with a good reputation from Antwerp, and although he hasn’t nailed down regular minutes yet, O’Neill made it clear he still sees ability in him. With a new manager arriving next week, Balikwisha may now get the fresh start he’s been waiting for.

O’Neill also highlighted how others have stepped up in recent weeks. Yang, McCowan, Nygren and Maeda have all pushed on under his guidance, and none of them will give up their place without a fight.

That kind of internal competition will shape Nancy’s early decisions, as he takes time to assess every player once he arrives at Lennoxtown.

For Balikwisha, the task is straightforward: respond well, train well and be ready.

A new manager watching from day one means a chance to impress, and Celtic’s improving form might actually help him settle. He has the pace and technical ability to contribute, it’s now about confidence and consistency if he wants to force his way into Nancy’s plans.

As O’Neill gets ready to finish his interim spell after Sunday’s trip to Easter Road, he leaves behind a squad in far better shape than he found it.

There are still plenty of individual stories waiting to unfold, and Balikwisha’s is one of them. His real opportunity starts as soon as Nancy walks through the door.