Martin O’Neill has stressed that Auston Trusty has the full backing of everyone at Celtic — after describing Frank McAvennie’s comments about the defender’s ongoing absence as being ‘in poor taste’.Trusty remains with his family in the US on compassionate grounds following the recent passing of his father Walt.Speaking on his Let me be Frank podcast this week, former Parkhead striker McAvennie questioned why Trusty wasn’t back playing — describing it as ‘nonsense’ perpetuated by ‘the woke brigade’.‘I’ve got every respect for that, but how long do you want off?’ McAvennie said. ‘Martin (O’Neill) says he’s away to celebrate the life of his dad.‘Celebrate the life? You’ve got football. You’re getting paid and we’re in trouble. How long is it going to be?‘It’s the woke brigade now, isn’t it? It’s nonsense. My dad was the best man, the only man I looked up to when he died, but you’ve got to get on with it.’ Trusty has missed Celtic’s last four games after returning home following his father’s passingThose remarks brought a huge backlash with McAvennie later forced into a public apology, claiming he meant no disrespect to Trusty or his family.‘I should have chosen my words more carefully,’ said McAvennie, who scored 37 goals in 85 games across two spells with Celtic. ‘I can understand why people feel my comments were insensitive. Everyone deals with grief differently and I certainly meant no disrespect.‘Celtic need the big man back and that’s what I was clumsily trying to say. I wish him and his family all the very best.’Evidently unimpressed with that attempt to backtrack, O’Neill made it clear that his player, who’s been absent for four matches — against Celta Vigo, Hibernian, Dundee United and Falkirk — should take all the time he needs before returning to Glasgow.‘That’s really poor taste. That’s really poor,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘I know I’ve said some things and ended up backtracking. But that’s a family bereavement.‘And that’s making someone’s mind up about how long they should be grieving and stuff like this here. That’s not on.‘Trusty asked me for some time (off). Even if it’s a celebration (of his late father’s life) it doesn’t matter. McAvennie has been widely criticised for comments he made on his podcast‘The father’s been in poor health for quite some considerable time. And I know there was a stage where he thought that he wasn’t going to see it through.‘But I’m with Trusty the whole way there. Because I wouldn’t want anybody to tell me that I had to grieve over a brother or sister dying. And I’ve had that.‘He’s 28 years of age. And he’s taken it badly. He has taken it badly. Honestly.‘I’ve afforded him all the time he wants.‘At some stage, obviously, he’ll come back. But, at the end of the day, I’ve given that time because I know that we might be talking about different eras or whatever the case may be. That’s nothing to do with it.‘This is a family thing. And that’s not right.‘So, Trusty has got the time and he’s got the backing of myself and he’s got the backing of the club.’