Martin O’Neill believes only Kasper Schmeichel truly understands the extent of his honesty regarding his shoulder issue.
However, the Celtic boss admits he was left astounded by the Dane’s shocking injury news.
O’Neill maintains he was unaware of the severity of Schmeichel’s condition until the Dane revealed on American television that his career was at risk.
The 39-year-old is undergoing two operations following a devastating scan that has effectively ruled him out of Denmark’s World Cup campaign and potentially up to 12 months of recovery.
Schmeichel had conceded some poor goals before rejoining the side last month. Consequently, some Celtic fans are now suggesting he may have concealed the true extent of the situation for a while.
O’Neill was questioned about this accusation and asked if he would be happy to address such claims of dishonesty. He replied: “Well, eventually only Kasper would know the full extent. However, I was surprised by the announcement and the severity of the situation.”
“If you’ve done some extra damage in between times, like he’s done extra training days here, then maybe I can understand. However, from the previous scans we’d done, I never thought we were dealing with a career-threatening injury.
“During my first spell here, I noticed his shoulder was causing some problems. He’d had a few injections to play and performed really well.
“I don’t want to be accused of over-medicating someone. Of course, someone has to tell you, ‘Listen, this is so bad I can’t play in the game.’ However, I never considered it a career-ending injury so I was surprised when I heard the news.
“He’d had an injection just after the first Rangers game. I believe that’s the one that caused him some problems. Even then, initially, when he wasn’t playing, I thought he was ill rather than his shoulder being the issue.
“If he hadn’t been ill that morning, I would have had to decide whether [Viljami] Sinisalo, who had played the second Stuttgart game, had performed well enough to be in the side.
“I never thought someone was playing with a career-threatening injury.”
“To be fair, I believe he caused more damage than he realised. That’s what he told me. Deep down, I think he was surprised by the seriousness of another issue at the top of his shoulder.
“I didn’t realise it was as severe as it turned out potentially jeopardising his career due to his age and other factors.”
O’Neill was aware of Schmeichel’s injury concerns during his first spell this term but was pleased with the goalkeeper’s performances.
He said: “I thought he was fantastic during the six or seven weeks I was involved. He made some incredible saves and performed exceptionally well. However, it’s important to remember that performance fluctuates from game to game.
“I was aware of a problem with his shoulder but didn’t believe it was as severe as it has proven to be.”
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. As far as I know, he faced a similar issue last year but overcame it and had an excellent season for the football club. I wasn’t aware of any major problems at the time.
“Players often push through pain, and we hope it doesn’t derail their careers. However, it became evident recently that the situation was as severe as it seems.”
Schmeichel disclosed the injury problem during a CBS Champions League interview with his father Peter.
O’Neill admitted he should have been informed first but joked about the situation. He said, “If that was the first announcement, I’d have preferred to hear it myself.”
“Back in my day, failing to report an injury to the football club could result in a fine. I might need to check his contract. That’s a valid point!”
“The club was aware of the test he was undergoing. It happened quite quickly, and sometimes I’m incommunicado, not wanting to hear certain news.”
O’Neill also expressed his pleasant surprise at Viljami Sinisalo’s exceptional performance.
While the revelations about the Dane and the potential end of his career have dominated the news recently, O’Neill took time to offer his thoughts on the deputy’s impressive performance.
Sinisalo has consistently performed well since taking the No.1 position and is likely to retain it for the remainder of the season due to Schmeichel’s serious injuries.”
Ahead of Sunday’s clash with Dundee United, O’Neill reflected on the 24-year-old’s recent performances and expressed his delight. He praised Sinisalo for seizing the opportunity in challenging circumstances, regardless of the outcome.
Sinisalo’s determination to succeed is evident, as he’s been thrust into significant games. While he reportedly performed well at Ibrox last season, O’Neill’s assessment is based solely on his time at the club.
O’Neill recalled his first game with Sinisalo, against Auchinleck in the cup at Kilmarnock. He felt Sinisalo missed a couple of chances. However, Sinisalo showed improvement against Dundee in the cup and grew into the role at Stuttgart and Ibrox.
O’Neill expressed genuine pleasure with Sinisalo’s progress. While the decision of who will be the first-choice goalkeeper ultimately rests with others, O’Neill is delighted with Sinisalo’s development.
Sinisalo demonstrated his ability to handle major matches during the latter stages of last season. He deputised for Schmeichel after Schmeichel’s shoulder injury during international duty for Denmark against Portugal.
Having been relegated to second-choice for most of this campaign, the former Aston Villa player is determined to seize this latest opportunity.
Beyond contributing to the team’s success this season, Sinisalo also has the chance to solidify his position for the 2026/27 season.
The upcoming eight Premiership matches will intensify the pressure on Sinisalo, with potentially two more games to negotiate in the Scottish Cup at Hampden.
When asked about Sinisalo’s ability to handle the season’s remaining pressure, O’Neill acknowledged the challenge. He praised Sinisalo’s performance but acknowledged that individual handling of pressure can vary.
O’Neill highlighted Sinisalo’s positive signs, including grabbing a couple of chances and heading a clear shot that came close to the halfway line at Ibrox.
O’Neill expressed his genuine pleasure with Sinisalo, describing him as a lovely lad. He hopes Sinisalo continues to perform well and appreciates his genuine character.