There is a sense of nostalgia to Martin O’Neill being back in Celtic colours again.
Celtic love a returning hero, whether they are players or managers, and O’Neill has added his name to that list following Brendan Rodgers’ sudden exit this week.
O’Neill returned with a bang, as the Hoops eased past Falkirk in midweek, but now attention will turn to the League Cup semi-final against Rangers.
Yes, O’Neill has stated he is back in Glasgow for the short-term, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if Celtic beat Rangers at Hampden, then the talk from the fans will be very different.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesMartin O’Neill to be Celtic’s next permanent manager?
At the age of 73, O’Neill is the oldest active manager in Britain, and he is surrounded by a lot of young coaching talent, as Kris Boyd touched upon.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Boyd was asked whether O’Neill could get the gig full-time, but he simply feels it will be given to ‘somebody else’, as he helps the likes of Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham, Stephen McManus and Gavin Strachan build their management game.
“I think Martin is a figurehead,” said Boyd. “Obviously, Shaun Maloney has gone in there. Mark Fotheringham has come in. Stephen McManus has been promoted. Gavin Strachan is still there.
“So, there are coaches who have been there, and they have added to that. There is no doubt that if Celtic had gone and appointed Shaun Maloney, the fans would have been asking serious, serious questions.
“So, to bring Martin back. That figurehead. It would allow the inexperienced ones, as such, to go and coach on the pitch, which Shaun Maloney has done for a number of years now. Mark Fotheringham has definitely done it for a number of years.
“You could look at that and say, if they had someone like a Martin O’Neill to allow them to go and develop. But I think it would be somebody else.”
O’Neill’s record as Celtic manager
Jock Stein is regarded as Celtic’s greatest-ever manager, with his most historic triumph being that famous 1967 European Cup win.
Nobody will match what Stein did, but O’Neill is probably Celtic’s greatest-ever modern-day manager, including that famous Treble lift after the turn of the century.
Whilst Celtic are utterly dominant now, back then, O’Neill had to deal with a much stronger Rangers, and he continually came out on top.
O’Neill’s games as Celtic manager: 267Wins: 201Draws: 26Losses: 40Goals scored: 636Goals conceded: 214Points Per Game: 2.36Trophies: 7