FOR THE SECOND TIME in his career, Martin O’Neill has left Celtic with his head held high.
The magnetic Irishman took over in an interim period following Brendan Rodgers’ dramatic departure in late Ocrober on the back of successive league defeats against Dundee and Hearts and the champions eight points adrift of the Tynecastle club.
Eight games later, O’Neill has ended his brief spell with the Hoops joint top of the Premiership with the Edinburgh side with a game in hand.
FINAL FAREWELL…Martin O’Neill says his goodbyes. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
Celtic can also go three points clear if they win the head-to-head confrontation between the teams at Parkhead on Sunday.
O’Neill also guided the holders to the Premier Sports League Cup Final to give his successor Wilfried Nancy the opportunity of silverware success in his first-ever Cup appearance in this country when his new team take on St Mirren at Hampden a week on Sunday.
Plus there was a 3-1 victory over Feyenoord in Rotterdam just over a week ago that has put the club back in contention for participation in the latter stages of the Europa League.
Seven wins out of eight games with the only blip a 3-1 loss to in-form FC Midtjylland in Denmark.
But O’Neill deservedly went out as a winner – as he had done in his previous spell as Celtic gaffer with a Scottish Cup triumph in 2005 – and it was Daizen Maeda who emerged as the goal hero with an eleventh-minute header against Dundee at Parkhead night.
FAN-TASTIC…Martin O’Neill acknowledges the Celtic support.
The affection poured down from the stands shortly after the final whistle in the 1-0 success and an emotional O’Neill, speaking to Celtic TV, said: “The reception I got was really fantastic.
“My backroom staff have been sensational, but the game is still about players.
“They’ve turned up and won the matches. We’ve had a number of injuries and players have stepped up to the plate every single time.
“I’ve had the time of my life over the last five weeks. It’s five or six weeks I will never ever forget.”
The Celtic support can echo those sentiments.
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