MARTIN O’NEILL has been named Celtic manager until the end of the season – only hours after Wilfried Nancy had been sacked.
The Irishman has again answered an SOS from the champions to take over the side just as fans demanded, in a CQN report earlier in the day.
O’Neill is back for a THIRD term at the Hoops following 33 of the most dramatic days in the history of the club.
The 73-year-old Irishman completed his interim period with his seventh victory in eight games following a 1-0 win over Dundee at Parkhead on Wednesday December 3 – the same day Celtic announced Nancy as the long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers who quit in late October.
FAREWELL – SEE YOU NEXT MONTH…Martin O’Neill waves goodbye to Celtic fans after his interim period comes to an end.
However, following six losses in only eight outings, the Frenchman was sensationally axed along with his three backroom assistants and Paul Tisdale, the Director of Football Operations who had been instrumental in the ill-judged appointment.
O’Neill will pick up from where he left off when the players report for training at Lennoxtown tomorrow morning as they prepare for Saturday’s crucial Premiership encounter against Dundee United at Parkhead.
The returning gaffer, speaking to Celtic TV, said: “I’m obviously very pleased and privileged to be back at the football club, but in circumstances like this, with Wilfried leaving the club, that just seems a wee bit strange at this moment.
“We’re going to try and win the league. It won’t be easy, although it never is, but we’re halfway through the season, we’ve got a big fight on our hands, so we have to be up to the challenge.
“I am looking forward to getting back to work again with the players.
“I know we would all have hoped for things to have worked out differently under Wilfried and I personally want to wish him good luck with everything he does in the game.
“He is a fine man and he will go on and achieve success again, I have no doubt of that.
“For me, I’ve been asked to take this great job on again and my focus will be to try and get us back to winning ways if we can. We will need everyone right behind us.
“We still have a lot to look forward to and a lot to try and achieve, and myself, Shaun and the coaching staff and, of course, the players will be giving everything to achieve all the success we can for the club.”
QUICKFIRE EXIT…Wilfried Nancy, sacked after 33 days.
Dermot Desmond, the club’s principal shareholder, added: “I am pleased to welcome Martin back to Celtic.
“We know exactly what he will bring and we hope that he can do what he has done for us before, giving us that drive and direction as we move into the next part of the season.
“We all know about his proven track record with the club and hope he can bring us similar success going forward.
“When we appointed Wilfried to the role of manager, clearly we thought we could enjoy a successful period under his control.
“Unfortunately this did not work out in the way we would have liked and, while he and the club are disappointed with the recent period, I want to take this opportunity to wish him well in all he does going forward.”
O’Neill will be supported by Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham as assistants, as well as Stephen McManus, who will join existing coaches, Gavin Strachan, Stevie Woods and Greg Wallace to oversee first-team matters.
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