Sports
Celtic reappoint Martin O’Neill after Wilfried Nancy exit
Martin O’Neill is back to help Celtic try to recover the gap to Hearts once again.
Celtic have reappointed Martin O’Neill as their manager on a contract until the end of the season following the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.
O’Neill served as interim boss for eight games, winning seven, following the departure of Brendan Rodgers in late October.
That run laid the platform for Celtic to take control of a Scottish Premiership title race they typically dominate. However, an eight-game, 33-day tenure for Nancy that saw just two wins has left Celtic six points behind surprise leaders Hearts.
Nancy was sacked on Monday following defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers, with director of football operations Paul Tisdale also leaving his post.
The announcement of Nancy’s dismal was followed by confirmation of O’Neill’s return a few hours later, with Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus joining as assistants.
O’Neill’s success earlier in the season helped Celtic erase Hearts’ eight-point lead atop the table. Now he will be tasked with recovering another deficit.
“I am really pleased, in fact, very honoured to be asked back to manage the team again and I am looking forward to getting back to work again with the players,” O’Neill said.
“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 I am sure 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.”
O’Neill won three Scottish league titles, three Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup in his first spell as Celtic manager from 2000 to 2005. He also led the club to the UEFA Cup final in 2003.
