Celtic manager search: Martin O’Neill agrees to take job on permanent basis after Dermot Desmond talks | football news

Martin O’Neill has agreed to become Celtic’s permanent manager.

The 74-year-old has given the green light to sign an initial one-year deal at Parkhead.

It follows talks with the club’s major shareholder, Dermot Desmond, who also held talks with former player Robbie Keane – This has sparked criticism from many fan groups.

O’Neill returned to the club twice last season and guided them to a domestic double, including winning the Scottish Premiership title on the final day of the season.

After lifting the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park last month, he felt the Hoops were “looking at somebody pathetic” as they look for a new boss.

However, O’Neill will remain at the club and is expected to be joined by his current assistant Sean Maloney’s backroom team, and coaches Mark Fotheringham and Gavin Strachan.

How O’Neill’s return to Celtic unfolded

Following the shock resignation of Brendan Rodgers last October, O’Neill was called upon to take over on an interim basis – 20 years after his previous spell at the club.

During that period, he won every league game to turn an eight-point deficit at Hearts into a situation where Celtic were level on points with a game in hand.

O’Neill took Celtic to the League Cup final after beating Rangers, also boosting their Europa League hopes.

He then made way for Wilfred Nancy. However, the Frenchman lasted just 33 days into his two-and-a-half-year deal, and O’Neill returned again – this time until the end of the season.

At that stage, Celtic fell six points behind Hearts and saw Rangers draw level on points, with the club also losing in the League Cup final.

However, O’Neill helped the Hoops recover on and off the park. Beyond that, he steered the club through the January transfer window, also working to defuse unrest between fans and the board.

In it, he secured a place at Hampden in the Scottish Cup, and cut that gap to Hearts in the league before winning the title after a last-day decider.

Then came the Scottish Cup final when he defeated his former captain Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline at the National Stadium.

More than two decades since his last spell in Glasgow, O’Neill has added two more trophies to the seven he won at the club from 2000-2005. Now, he expects more to follow.

What was the response to the Kin discussion?

Due to his previous role with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a number of Celtic supporters clubs put their names in opposition to the potential appointment of Robbie Kane as manager.

Kane was preferred to take over after talks with major shareholder Dermot Desmond.

The Republic of Ireland’s record goalscorer enjoyed a loan spell at Celtic Park in 2010 and won league titles in Israel and Hungary as manager.

However, his decision to stay in Israel following the outbreak of conflict in Gaza sparked criticism in Ireland and turned a section of the Celtic support against him.

Graffiti and banners opposing Kane’s chances of becoming manager have appeared outside Celtic Park in recent days and a statement has appeared online calling itself a Celtic fan for the liberation of Palestine.

Is O’Neill making the right choice?

Sky Sports News on former Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov:

“I’m actually surprised – I thought they’d offer Martin O’Neill a different role, more comfortable. But because of his management skills and record for major honors, he’s justified his appointment. I hope and wish him the best for next season. Martin O’Neill is Martin O’Neill.

“He’ll feel about 102 by the time the year is over! But with a one-year contract, they just want to stabilize the club. The last few months, he’s shown why he’s such a great character. But here’s a question: What if they win again next year?

“I’ve followed Robbie Keane’s managerial career and he’s done really well. But when you compare him to O’Neill, you have that maturity with O’Neill who has agreed to continue with this team.

“There was no doubt about it: he was always going to be first choice if he agreed and showed the same energy and determination to work for this great club.

“Complicity, motivation, man management, these are all things he has done in his career. He is a great motivator, he demands a very high performance from every single player. He keeps everything simple. He believes in his staff. When you have that, you have a manager with a pedigree where only one thing can be achieved: the best.

“If O’Neill agrees to become Celtic manager, he knows the challenges. He knows he has to add quality, strong characters and big players who can win games.

“I hope Celtic have learned their lesson, because Rangers will be stronger next season, Hearts will try to push again. Celtic have to be a strong team in Europe and domestically. Last season, they got away from that. Next season will be a big challenge.”

How O’Neill helped Celtic rewrite the record books

In a season of twists and turns, people thought Hearts could become the first non-Old Farm club since the 1960s to be crowned top-flight champions. In the end, it was Celtic who once again wrote themselves into the record books.

Since the 1930s, Rangers have had more league titles to their name, but that gap has narrowed in recent years before Celtic drew level on 55 last season. Now, they lead that race themselves with 56.

It was the dominance of a generation, with the Hoops winning the league 20 times since 2000 compared to Rangers’ six.

Bragging rights well and truly belong to Celtic.