MARTIN O’NEILL was given 10 minutes to make up his mind about returning to Celtic as interim manager.
The 73-year-old former boss revealed Dermot Desmond’s quickfire deadline offer after Brendan Rodgers’ dramatic resignation.
O’Neill didn’t hesitate to give the green light to his comeback to Parkhead two decades after leaving and he will be in charge of the team tomorrow night when they host Falkirk in a crucial Premiership encounter with the champions trailing Hearts by eight points.
The Irishman will be assisted by Shaun Maloney while another ex-Hoops player, Mark Fotheringham, has also joined the background team.
O’Neill will be in the dug-out while Celtic look for a permanent replacement with Ange Postecoglou among the frontrunners while Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna has also been mentioned.
The veteran gaffer refused to even discuss the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final against Ibrox opposition at Hampden on Sunday as he concentrated on getting the team back to winning ways after back-to-back defeat from Dundee and Hearts.
As he prepared for the visit of John McGlynn’s team, O’Neill responded to the question of how he felt.
The one-time Republic of Ireland international team chief responded: “There’s nervous tension. I obviously want to do as well as I can.
“I’m looking forward to it.” O’Neill smiled and added: “I think.”
He continued: “At this minute, I’ve been called in to do the job. Interim manager – and that’s the way it will remain.
“I didn’t need to be told what’s required. I got a call late afternoon, early evening from Dermot Desmond. He said Brendan had resigned.
“People had been taken aback by that. I assumed nothing would happen until the end of the season for anybody. I was asked if I’d come in and hold proceedings until they found a permanent manager.
“I had 10 minutes to make up my mind, which I did.”
The departing Rodgers, in his second stint at the club, had been accused by Desmond, the club’s principal shareholder, of being “misleading, divisive and self-serving” in a damning statement.
O’Neill, speaking to Celtic TV, commented: “I must admit that it is really sad to see that. I obviously wasn’t expecting it, I don’t know what has been going on.
“Despite the fact that Dermot brought me here to the football club 25 years ago, since I left I have not had that many conversations with him.
“I was never asked back again, in my younger days, so all of that there is quite sad to see, but I don’t know what has taken place, so there is very little I can add to it.”
O’Neill added: “We have some really fine footballers, players who have won.
“They know how to win and they just get that back again. That would be the most important message from me.
“We have a couple of injuries to key players, but the team is a good side, and maybe not used to losing football matches.
“So, maybe a little bit of confidence has been lost from that, but they are really decent players and I am genuinely looking forward to working with them.”
