Mark Guidi has launched a strong defence of Martin O’Neill after a heated debate on Go Radio saw a caller call for the Celtic manager to be replaced.

However, the criticism went considerably further on the Go Radio Football Show when a caller named Jerry questioned O’Neill’s ability to influence matches from the touchline.

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“He can’t change a game from the touchline. I watched him in that dug out on the touchline. He can’t do anything tactically to change a game. There’s no style of play and I think for Celtic, thanks Martin, but you should have left in the summer.”

Guidi strongly disagreed with that assessment, arguing that O’Neill’s achievements deserved greater recognition.

“There’s a number of things I’d like to pick Jerry up on. First of all, I think you’ve been absolutely disrespectful to Martin O’Neill.”

The journalist pointed towards O’Neill’s remarkable recovery of Celtic’s season earlier this year, when the veteran manager guided the club to the Premiership title and Scottish Cup.

Having returned for a second interim spell in January, O’Neill overturned Hearts’ advantage in the title race before securing the double.

Celtic are also currently four points clear at the top of the Premiership, despite concerns about their recent performances.

Guidi questioned how anyone outside the club could confidently dismiss the coaching taking place at Lennoxtown.

“So I think that unless you’re in there, Jerry, every day at Lennoxtown, then how do you know what goes on?”

While defending O’Neill, Guidi made clear that he believes Celtic require significant changes beyond the manager’s position.

He suggested that replacing the 74-year-old would not automatically address the wider problems facing the club.

“Like I say, when Martin O’Neill goes in the summer or whenever he goes, but certainly it’s the summer at the latest, then for me, it doesn’t matter who’s going in there. The club needs to modernise itself.”

Guidi also pointed to the failed appointment of Wilfried Nancy, whose brief spell between O’Neill’s two interim periods ended after just nine matches.

He argued that Celtic had already attempted a different managerial approach without achieving the improvement they wanted.

The discussion became increasingly heated when Jerry was asked whether he would remove O’Neill immediately if the decision were his.

Those suggestions remain personal preferences rather than indications of Celtic’s recruitment plans.

For Guidi, the more pressing issue is the club’s overall operation, which he believes needs significant improvement regardless of who occupies the manager’s office.

The debate comes at a difficult moment for O’Neill, whose side have struggled to convince in Europe and dropped two points against Dundee United in midweek.

Nevertheless, Celtic remain top of the league ahead of Sunday’s trip to Falkirk, with the manager continuing to defend his side’s domestic record.