Martin O’Neill's Decision for Celtic's Weekend Match at Kilmarnock

Martin O’Neill will decide for himself whether he is back in the Celtic dugout at Kilmarnock on Sunday, with assistant Shaun Maloney insisting there is “no timeline” on the 74-year-old’s return after a minor hospital procedure.

O’Neill, handed a one-year deal in the summer after turning two caretaker stints into a league and cup Double last season, was discharged from hospital on Thursday. Maloney visited him that evening and came away encouraged.

“He was in good form – loads better than he was Monday, Tuesday,” Maloney said, describing a manager already edging back towards his usual sharpness. The hope inside Celtic is that the improvement continues. The decision, though, rests with O’Neill alone.

O’Neill’s call, day by day

O’Neill was on the touchline on Monday as Celtic opened their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 1-0 win over Dundee. By the end of the week, the picture had changed. Training went ahead on Friday without him.

“Even for the game at the weekend, it’s sort of day-to-day,” Maloney explained. “We saw him last night with regards to the preparation for the game and then he wasn’t in today.

“I’ll speak to him this afternoon and then he’ll make a call for tomorrow. And then I’d imagine he’ll make the call for the game at the weekend.

“But, if it’s this weekend, great. If it isn’t, then we’ll prepare for it with that one.”

So Celtic travel to Rugby Park with two plans: one with their veteran manager in the technical area, one without. The routine work continues, but the final piece of the puzzle is still missing.

Maloney ready for “strange” scenario

If O’Neill stays away, Maloney steps up. He has done it before at Hibernian and Wigan, but this would feel different.

“We’ll definitely miss him if he’s not there but you also have to respect what’s happened the last few days,” he said.

He did not hide the scale of O’Neill’s influence since returning to the club last October. “The impact that he’s had over, what was it, since October, it’s been nothing short of incredible really – the things that he does with the players and the staff.”

That leaves Maloney in an unusual position: experienced enough to take charge, fully aware he is standing in for a figure who has reshaped the place in less than a year.

“So we will miss him, but we’ll be prepared,” he stressed. “We’ve got some brilliant senior players, but we’ll see. We’ll let him make the call.”

Quiet market, familiar squad

Off the pitch, Celtic’s weekend looks far more predictable. Maloney does not expect any new faces through the door before the trip to Kilmarnock, despite reports of a move for Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan.

Those conversations, he made clear, remain between O’Neill and chief executive Michael Nicholson. The assistant is on the training pitch, not in the negotiating room.

He is aware of interest in midfielder Arne Engels and right-back Alistair Johnston, but has no indication either will be missing when the squad is named for Rugby Park. For now, they are part of the plan.

So Celtic head into Sunday with the same core that delivered three points on opening night, their transfer business parked, their tactical work done – and one question hanging over everything.

Will Martin O’Neill be there to lead them out?