There are moments in football when a manager's future hangs in the air, unresolved, waiting for the noise to die down before any real clarity arrives. For Martin O'Neill, that moment came and went during the international break — and the 74-year-old has emerged from it with his mind firmly made up.

O'Neill, who signed a one-year deal at Parkhead after guiding Celtic to a league and Scottish Cup double last season — via two interim spells — had raised eyebrows across Scottish football when he suggested it might be time to consider stepping away from management. The trigger was a bruising run of results: two derby defeats against Rangers, sandwiched around a 3-1 home reverse against Ferencvaros in the Europa League. Any one of those results stings. All three in quick succession, and it is understandable that even the most seasoned of managers takes stock.

But Celtic's hierarchy moved swiftly. Chief executive Michael Nicholson offered his public backing, and the club rallied around a figure who, for supporters of a certain generation, remains as much a part of the fabric of the place as the Lisbon Lions mosaic on the stadium concourse. That show of faith, it seems, was all O'Neill needed.

Speaking in a club interview, the Northern Irishman was unambiguous. "I am extremely prepared now for it," he said. "We had a difficult week. That can happen. You can lose to your arch-rivals, you can lose the European game. It's certainly not the end of the world as it seemed to be described as."

He continued: "I thought I would take a bit of time, and it didn't take me that much time to think about it. I want to lead the club, I want to try to win the league and I'm just as determined now than ever before. It was a time of reflection for a moment or two, but overall, I'm back, I'm raring to go and the team's ready."

That last phrase carries weight. Not just the personal recommitment, but the collective one. The international break, whatever its various frustrations for club managers across the continent, has at least offered Celtic a pause — time to reset, to close ranks, and to return with a clearer head ahead of the domestic schedule resuming.

The Scottish Premiership title is the obvious prize. Celtic have won it in dominant fashion in recent seasons, and O'Neill, whose first stint in charge delivered four league titles in the early 2000s, knows exactly what delivering that feels like. Whether he can conjure it again, with a squad that has shown both promise and fragility in the opening weeks of this campaign, is the question that will define his tenure.

The Europa League picture looks more complicated after the Ferencvaros result, and Rangers remain a genuine threat on the domestic front. But O'Neill has been in tighter corners before — and he appears, at least for now, to have decided that the fire still burns.

For Celtic supporters making their way along the Gallowgate or down from the Jock Stein Stand, the message from their manager is simple: he is not going anywhere. What happens on the pitch over the coming weeks will determine whether that conviction is rewarded.

Frequently asked

Why did Martin O'Neill suggest he might quit as Celtic manager?
O'Neill hinted at possibly wrapping up his managerial career after Celtic suffered two defeats to Rangers and a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros in the Europa League within the same difficult week.
Has Celtic backed Martin O'Neill to stay as manager?
Yes. Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson publicly backed O'Neill during the uncertain period, and the club rallied around him before the manager himself confirmed he wants to continue.
What deal does Martin O'Neill have at Celtic?
O'Neill signed a one-year deal at Celtic after two interim spells last season, during which he led the club to a league and Scottish Cup double.