o'neill staying put is another boost for morale

As this issue goes to print we still await the puff of smoke from the Walfrid chimney to signify that Celtic have signed a player. While the Corporal Jonseses among us are beginning to appear in full-on 'don't panic' mode, the more sanguine are adopting the Lotus Position, chanting the mantra and trusting that the Blessed Martin is going to resurrect his persona of The Great Martino by whipping back the curtain and pulling three shiny new first team players out of Brian Quinn's top hat.

Unlike last summer, though, we have yet to hear the Chairman's Cassandra-like announcement informing us that despite guaranteed participation in the Champions League there will have to be an austerity budget in operation at Celtic Park. On balance the board were probably correct in their strategy twelve months ago: doing the sums simply left no significant money to spend on players (some £3 million was actually owed on players already bought) without significantly increasing the club's debt, a high risk option given the parlous state of the game at the present time.

It's frustrating, nonetheless, to come so close to qualifying from the Champions League group stage for want of a bit of quality in the side. That the signing of this quality player was predicated, as Quinn said, on qualifying rather than a necessity to ensure qualification seemed to be almost a repeat of the situation prior to the FC Basel tie the season before. For evidence that there is likely to be some substantial activity in the transfer market this time around we need only look as far as the hordes of agents tripping over each other as they slither to the press to shill their clients in the direction of Paradise. Most of this kind of thing can be dismissed as mere fodder for the chip-wrappers, of course, but it would apparently indicate that the word is out within the game that the Hoops are ready to part with a few quid.

Precisely who will eventually come swaggering through the Walfrid's revolving door into the arrivals lounge will be up to Martin O'Neill, and brings us to the good news this month, which is not so much about who is coming or going, but rather who is staying.

In a slight variation to the usual theme, recent speculation has had O'Neill taking time out of the game for much-publicised personal reasons instead of being ready to take a new job elsewhere. Instead, he has confirmed that he is going to be in the Celtic dugout this season - when he's not leaping about on the touchline that is - and none but the most contrary can say that they're not relieved about that.

Amidst all the tabloid tosh about O'Neill leaving for Old Trafford/ Anfield/ White Hart Lane, rolling contracts, money-wrangles with the directors, are there no hacks who can contemplate the possibility that perhaps Martin O'Neill actually likes being in charge of Celtic and is quite happy to stay as long as he's wanted? What's so absurd about that concept??

On the question of new personnel he has been characteristically abstruse and tight-lipped, if not exactly ashen-faced. But he has at least assured us that he is doing his best not to let us down. He hasn't disappointed us too often in the past so we'll content ourselves with that. On the positive side, it should not go unnoticed the number of first team regulars Celtic have signed on extended contracts, nor the good young prospects who have committed themselves to the Hoops for the next few years. The latter is especially encouraging.

At least the manager isn't looking down both barrels like his counterpart at Mordor, faced with the prospect of having to build almost a completely new side from the dregs of last season's embarrassingly unsuccessful flops combined with a trawl through the Bosman Bucket. If there is anybody out there vexed by what they perceive as a flurry of transfer activity at Ibrox they should play the John McLelland version of Fantasy Football: get rid of ten of your already thin first team squad then replace them on a budget of zero.

Neither does the Celtic boss have to get them ready to face a season-defining Champions League qualifying tie before the end of the month with the bank manager hovering over him like a vulture.

It is often trotted out as something of a cliche that Rangers are only ever two bad results away from a crisis. This year it happens to be true.

With another Flag Day in Paradise to look forward to as the curtain runs up for the start of hostilities it's hard to dispel a vague feeling of positivity around NTV Mansions.

MANFRED LURKER