Finnish star was vital to the manager in winning Double last year after Kasper Schemichel issue and he’s gunning to the long-term No.1
14:29, 04 Jul 2026
Martin O’Neill, Interim Manager of Celtic (Image: Getty Images)
Viljami Sinisalo stepped back into the No.1 spot to pull Celtic out of a hole.
Now Martin O’Neill faces a huge decision on whether or not the Finnish ace is his main man for the long-term to fill the gap.
Sinisalo was a godsend for the manager last year as the Kasper Schmeichel situation descended into farce.
The Danish international’s shoulder problem was already causing the champions an issue with bad goals lost even before he conceded defeat to the physical restrictions and setbacks.
O’Neill needed to turn to Sinisalo in his moment of extreme need and there’s no question the Finland international did a job for him.
Of course, this wasn’t a first at Celtic for the former Aston Villa keeper. The season previous under Brendan Rodgers, he was also plunged into a similar scenario when Schmeichel first suffered the shoulder injury which blighted his final term in the game in a Denmark clash against Portugal.
Sinisalo showed himself capable through a seven-game period of handling the position in the run to that 2024/25 title and there were many a Celtic fan who felt that Rodgers’ decision to name his rusty Dane for the Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen was a mistake.
Those fears proved correct as Schmeichel’s howler cost his team an equaliser and they eventually missed out on another Treble at Hampden after a penalty shootout when he also wasn’t able to get to any of the Dons’ spot kicks.
Sinisalo’s experiences of 12 months previously stood him in strong stead when the shout came from O’Neill and, once more, he was up to the task.
This time, there was no Schmeichel return for Hampden and the Finn ended up at the heart of both successes for O’Neill.
It was another huge step forward and progression, but now it feels like crossroads time in terms of the 24-year-old in Glasgow’s East End.
It is the moment of proper ascendancy, or a levelling off with a return to the role of solid back-up?
Throughout this summer, Celtic’s name has been linked to keepers, but it’s also fair enough to suggest there are likely a host of other positions in more urgent need of filling.
Sinisalo was a safe conveyance and, perhaps, the numbers and bare statistics through the final weeks of the campaign do him a disservice.
It is correct to point out that he kept just two clean sheets in 15 outings from moving into the spot vacated by Schmeichel on a permanent basis for the Euro tie in Stuttgart.
At the same time, it is also prudent to note the point that the backline in front of him creaked on a weekly basis without their rock of Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Sinisalo may not have produced a catalogue of wonder saves, but neither was he responsible for chucking anything into the net, which made him a more than satisfactory contributor.
Importantly, he was solid in three matches against Rangers, two of which came under the highest pressure at Ibrox.
Sinisalo stood tall in the hour of need, but this would now represent a different situation.
This next step or phase in his Celtic career would not be about being a replacement or a strong back-up. It would be about being the out-and-out No.1.
Having had two big tastes of the top team for decent spells, at this point of his career, he will surely feel it is his time to be handed the big gig.
Ultimately, though, that decision is down to O’Neill. Has he served his time as the apprentice and now ready for the top job, or is he destined to remain in that back-up role?
Should the decision be the latter, with Ross Doohan the back-up to Sinisalo at the moment, the manager is also going to have to go and find himself a top-class keeper.
To that extent, O’Neill’s track record during his first spell as manager when it came to recruiting to goalkeepers could be described, at best, as patchy.
No doubt Rab Douglas proved to be a big success. Plucked from Dundee by the boss, the Scotland international was central to many successes of that squad and made huge saves for the team as they got all the way to the 2003 UEFA Cup Final in Seville.
O’Neill’s other captures were less inspiring. Magnus Hedman was never fully able to convince the Celtic supporters that he was a dependable sort after being snapped up by the boss from Coventry City.
Javier Sanchez Broto was also signed by O’Neill and, again, the Spaniard never really looked the real deal after joining from Livingston.
You would assume that Celtic would lean heavily on the expertise of Stevie Woods when this big decision is made and if they are going into the market for a new goalkeeper.
Woods is a long-standing and impressive servant at the club with all of the big names from Fraser Forster to Joe Hart lavishing praise on his work.
He knows the position and the needs inside-out and will have detailed knowledge on keepers who can do a job and fit the profile, but he may also advise that Sinisalo is already ready for the gig as he has proven himself to be an able deputy and capable stand-in when the squad and the club needed him.
Now the choice for O’Neill is if the Finn is actually himself going to be a main man. And it’s a weighty decision which could have huge implications on the campaign ahead.
