Martin O’Neill has been appointed Celtic manager until the end of the season
Martin O’Neill has admitted he’s unsure whether he’d “have the energy” to remain as Celtic manager beyond the current season.
The 73-year-old has returned to the Glasgow club following Wilfried Nancy’s departure, merely 33 days after making way for the Frenchman having overseen a caretaker spell in which he claimed seven wins from eight matches.
The former Republic of Ireland manager has been handed the reins until the end of the campaign, but has expressed doubts about whether he possesses the stamina to carry on past the summer.
“I can’t see that for a start and I genuinely can’t. I don’t know whether I would have the energy and all that type of stuff,” O’Neill told talkSPORT when asked if he might stay on should results go well.
“I will just put everything into it now for these next couple of months and the same applies to me – if I don’t win football matches I’ll be straight under pressure and that starts here at the weekend.”
Having initially come in to steady the ship after Brendan Rodgers’ exit, O’Neill had left Celtic level on points with William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts whilst holding a game in hand and boasting a nine-point advantage over Rangers.
However, Celtic suffered six losses from eight matches under Nancy and now sit six points adrift of Hearts having played an equal number of fixtures – and could slip to three behind third-placed Rangers if the Light Blues beat Aberdeen at Ibrox on Tuesday. “It will be very, very difficult. We are behind,” O’Neill conceded when discussing Celtic’s championship hopes.
“Rangers have caught up now as well too and so it will be difficult, but it’s a challenge for us.”
In other developments, Celtic have ended the loan period of Manchester City’s young talent Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who will now complete the remainder of the season with Cologne.
