Callum McGregor’s admission that Celtic players are still learning aspects of their tactical approach during matches should raise serious questions about how much progress Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney have made on the training pitch.

But perhaps his most concerning comments came when he explained why the players are still struggling to implement the football they want to play.

“But quite a lot of the time, the boys are sort of learning on the job as well,” McGregor admitted: (Celtic FC YouTube).

That would be understandable in the opening weeks of a new managerial appointment.

It is more difficult to accept almost exactly a year after O’Neill and Maloney first returned to the Celtic dugout.

The pair initially took charge on 28 October 2025 following Brendan Rodgers’ departure.

Their time together was interrupted by Wilfried Nancy’s brief appointment, before O’Neill and Maloney returned in January.

They have not been working continuously with the same squad for an entire year, and the summer brought further changes to the playing staff.

Nor should their achievements be overlooked.

O’Neill guided Celtic to the Premiership title and Scottish Cup last season, an impressive turnaround after taking over a team struggling to keep pace in the title race.

Those achievements earned him considerable credit.

However, winning trophies does not mean the current team should be immune from scrutiny.

Celtic’s first-half performance against Dundee United showed familiar problems. The attacking shape looked unbalanced, possession was surrendered too easily and the team struggled to establish sustained control.

O’Neill started with Kasper Høgh through the middle and two other natural strikers, Camilo Durán and Callum Osmand, in the wide positions.

The introduction of Jota and Haissem Hassan at half-time gave Celtic more natural width and helped change the pattern of the match.

It was a noticeable improvement, but it also invited questions about why the starting approach had been chosen.

McGregor pointed to the disrupted preparations caused by players returning at different times following the World Cup.

He also explained that Celtic’s demanding fixture schedule now restricts opportunities to work together.

“So there isn’t really a lot of training time now. It’s more sort of video and trying to reinforce it that way,” he said.

Those are genuine challenges, particularly when a squad has undergone significant changes.

But Celtic knew a congested schedule was coming. The coaching staff also had a summer to establish the basic principles and positional requirements for the new campaign.

Nobody should expect every new signing to understand the system immediately.

There should, though, be a recognisable structure that makes their responsibilities easier to understand.

McGregor’s comments suggest that remains a work in progress.

The captain also acknowledged that changes in key positions had made it harder to establish the principles required for the team’s approach.

That is where the concern becomes bigger than one disappointing draw.

Celtic can score goals through individual quality. They have demonstrated that repeatedly.

What they have struggled to do consistently is control matches, protect themselves against transitions and maintain the same attacking structure for 90 minutes.

The coaching staff deserve credit for last season’s recovery, but they are also responsible for ensuring this season’s squad has a clear framework.

With Falkirk away on Sunday and another European fixture approaching, Celtic cannot rely indefinitely on matchdays to provide the lessons that should be reinforced at Lennoxtown.

The next team selection will offer an immediate indication of whether O’Neill and Maloney intend to address the positional imbalance that their captain has now publicly acknowledged.