CHRIS SUTTON hopes Martin O’Neill has only 90 minutes left of his remarkable comeback as Celtic’s interim manager.
The former Hoops goal hero was brought to Glasgow as the Irishman’s first signing for the club when he splashed £6million to recruit him from Chelsea in the summer of 2000.
The team boss and the popular forward spent five years together at Parkhead – winning seven trophies – before O’Neill quit and the striker left shortly afterwards for Birmingham City.
And, of course, the gaffer, now 73, answered the call from Dermot Desmond following Brendan Rodgers’ sudden resignation 12 days ago just 24 hours after a second successive Premiership defeat against Hearts at Tynecastle.
The team that had looked tired and flat in Edinburgh and in Dundee the previous week, was suddenly revitalised with a 4-0 midweek win over Falkirk which was followed by a 3-1 Premier Sports League Cup semi-final extra-time triumph over Rangers at Hampden on Sunday.
HOOPY DAYS…Martin O’Neill celebrates the 3-0 Scottish Cup Final win over Hibs in May 2001 with Ramon Vega, Neil Lennon and Alan Thompson.
Then came the shambolic collapse in the 3-1 Europa League loss against FC Midtjylland on Thursday and Sutton is now eager for his old boss to call it a day after the champions host Kilmarnock tomorrow.
The one-time England international forward is calling for the Hoops hierarchy to announce O’Neill, along with Shaun Maloney, as their dug-out partnership right now.
Or replace them quickly during the international break to get someone in place when the Premiership resumes with a game against St Mirren in Paisley a fortnight today.
Sutton said: “Celtic need to be decisive. And be decisive now. It just needs to be one or the other and fast.
“It can’t just float along because there is too much resting on it.
“There needs to be a clear plan and clear vision of what is going to happen in the next few months.
“Let me put my cards on the table right now. With my hand on my heart, I hope my old boss finishes up after tomorrow’s game against Kilmarnock.
“Before anyone starts slaughtering me or saying I am not being fair, let me explain why.
THE FACE OF CONCERN…Martin O’Neill, flanked by Mark Fotheringham and Stevie Woods, at full-time in Denmark after the mauling from FC Midtjylland.
“Martin O’Neill is a legend at Celtic for what he did during my time there as a player.
“I owe him plenty for signing me as I wouldn’t have experienced the whole thing or enjoyed such a wonderful time in my career if he hadn’t done that.
“He walked back into the club in the wake of the Brendan Rodgers departure and he answered the call with Shaun Maloney placed at his side.
“Now that’s great. It was important to have someone who could unite the club, the fans and bring a bounce into the players.
“That was achieved. The wins over Falkirk and against Rangers ensured no damage done domestically in the very short term.”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “But let’s be frank. This isn’t a short-term situation. This is a big job to get things back on track and the Europa League defeat in Midtjylland just summed that up.
“Actually, it wasn’t just the defeat. The Danes were top of the table going into the game and losing wasn’t the biggest thing, it was the manner of the loss.
“Celtic were absolutely miles off it.
“That was as much of a 3-1 hammering as you could get. That scoreline flattered Celtic.
“Basically, Martin has such a great legacy at Celtic and I wouldn’t want it to be damaged by any more nights like that.”
FANFARE…Martin O’Neill salutes the Celtic supporters at Hampden after the 3-1 Premier Sports League Cup semi-final win over Rangers.
Sutton added: “Celtic are going to need a massive January to get some new faces in the door.
“Normally, I would be suggesting that the next window is an important one in terms of trying to get guys signed with a view to being bedded in for the Champions League qualifiers the following summer.
“Yet the truth of the matter is, as it stands, it might have to be a big month just to try and ensure that Hearts are overhauled for the title.
“There simply cannot be any sort of confusion or lack of clarity on the scenario.
“How can you be realistically planning for the future and discussing targets and making signings in January when you know the management team isn’t going to be in place six months later?
“That just doesn’t work for me.
“I’m the first one to say domestic football is your bread and butter and that comes first, but you need to have aspirations in Europe and, right now, my old club is going backwards instead of forwards on the continent.
“I feel it is going to take some fresh ideas. A new manager heading to the club with new staff and new ideas.
“Maybe the club won’t think that way and will decide that Martin and Shaun are the ones who can take it on from the current position.
“That’s not my decision but whatever way it goes, all I am saying is there has to be a decision.”
‘NO CONCERN ABOUT A LEGACY,’ ADMITS O’NEILL
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