With preparations for the next campaign already underway, O’Neill has barely had a moment to reflect on last season’s triumph.
Celtic clinched a 14th Premiership title in 15 seasons in dramatic style, stringing together seven straight wins to seize a crown that had often looked out of reach.
O’Neill admitted the achievement hasn’t truly sunk in yet.
He suggested that had he left the club, he might have had the space to take it all in and appreciate how surreal and special it was.
Instead, he feels straight back into the routine with little time to reflect, thinking the magnitude may only hit him around the first league game at Celtic Park.
The job’s intensity and the exhausting title chase initially left him unsure about accepting the role permanently this summer, but the prospect of future regrets pulled him back to the touchline.
He noted that, a day after the success, he wouldn’t have had the energy to commit to the post.
Deep down, he knew that by late summer—if he felt refreshed while the club moved on—he might wish he had stayed.
So he tried to picture how he would feel a few months ahead.
The Champions League incentive was another key factor. With a play-off looming—first leg on 18 or 19 August—O’Neill recognises how crucial the competition is to the club.
Last summer, under Brendan Rodgers, Celtic’s turbulent season was set in motion by a bruising qualifying exit to Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty.
He described reaching the group stage as absolutely vital.
To achieve that, he emphasised strengthening the squad and preparing players both physically and mentally for those decisive games.
He believes the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League—especially after a strong run the year before—spilled into league form: not a full malaise, but a lingering frustration and worry that hurt performances until the late surge.
Whoever the opponents are, he added, the upcoming tie carries huge significance.