Celtic booked a spot in the Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers at the weekend and did so in style. The club have now announced their intention to replace interim manager Martin O’Neill, who has already said ‘yes’ to the permanent appointment.
A week is a long time in football, and with recent surprising events, it’s no wonder many Hoops supporters believe they’re caught up in some sort of fever dream.
The departure of Brendan Rodgers from Celtic ahead of an important double-header with Falkirk and their city rivals was enough to get people excited, never mind that former manager O’Neill was drafted in on an interim basis alongside Sean Maloney.
But the former Republic of Ireland manager has completely changed the outlook for his side, who beat the Bairns by four points in the opening game of the Scottish Premiership he took over.
Nevertheless, the Glasgow derby will always be a major test of his managerial abilities and the 73-year-old passed with flying colors after Celtic beat Rangers in strong fashion to reach the Premier Sports Cup final.
Kieran McKenna, Craig Bellamy and Nicky Hayen all remain in contention, but Kilrea native O’Neill has made it clear he would be open to taking over Boyes long-term if the opportunity arises.
When asked about this during a live broadcast on Premier Sports, he said: “The very obvious answer would be: yes (Long-term stays are also possible).
“I’d love to, but I really don’t know what’s going to happen.
“When I saw their game and then the international break, I thought they would take a few weeks to think about it. I haven’t even spoken to him since. In a perverse sense, I enjoyed those two games, but not too much.”
Celtic’s stance on his future became clear hours after O’Neill’s long-awaited win over Rangers at Hampden.
Celtic move closer to appointing Martin O’Neill
According to Football Insider, O’Neill has been inching closer to becoming Celtic’s permanent manager after the defeat to Rangers, which has “strengthened” his chances of becoming Rodgers’ successor.
The report suggests the Irishman is attracted to remain in charge until the end of the season. Nevertheless, the results of the Bhoys’ upcoming matches against FC Midtjylland and Kilmarnock will determine their next course of action.
Martin O’Neill’s all-time Celtic records | |
victory | 202 |
draw | 26 |
loss | 40 |
Of course, there is no doubting his credentials, having led Celtic to seven titles between 2000 and 2005 and having the famous record of reaching the UEFA Cup final with Seville. Still, the club hierarchy is doing a great deal of due diligence elsewhere.
St Mirren await in the Premier Sports Cup final and the temptation of potentially picking up silverware again is difficult for O’Neill to ignore.
Celtic could still make a shock move to appoint another former manager
Dermot Desmond will ultimately have the final say, but if a top candidate proves unavailable, a return to the Celtic dugout and an extended spell at Parkhead could be a sensible solution after a successful start.
