Given the immense turbulence surrounding Celtic over the past 12 months, the club’s hierarchy have decided that Martin O’Neill is the steady hand required to guide everyone forward.
Following Wilfried Nancy’s nightmare 33-day spell, it was the obvious call to bring back O’Neill in January, and since then, very few names have been truly linked to the main job.
The two people seemingly on Celtic’s managerial shortlist were O’Neill and the possibly controversial pick of Robbie Keane – there was also some noise around Wales boss, Craig Bellamy.
But speaking to Go Radio, Andy Walker was correct to point out and express his ‘surprise’ at only two names being on Celtic’s managerial shortlist since October.
“I am really surprised,” said Walker. “It seemed to me that the only two candidates from last October, when you knew you needed a permanent manager, it’s just the two names, Martin O’Neill and Robbie Keane.
“I am just surprised there wasn’t speculation about a good number of others, because what a job it is, the manager of Celtic.”
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Which players are likely to depart, given that Martin O’Neill will stay?
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Celtic players wanting to play for Martin O’Neill and his coaching staff
Celtic love a left-field call. It happened with Ange Postecoglou. The Australian wrote his name into the legendary books and then won the Treble.
But then you had the Nancy reign, and how that went horribly wrong, even though O’Neill saved the season by winning the domestic double.
Were the powers that be in the Celtic boardroom scarred by Nancy, so they just went with the obvious when looking for a new long-term coach?
Either way, O’Neill is a better option than Keane, and Walker feels that the players not only want to play for the Irishman, but also his coaching staff.
“It would be welcomed everywhere (O’Neill staying on),” said Walker. “There will be a few, ‘hang on a minute, 74 years old?’ He will be 75 before the season ends.
“But I think when you put together his old head, his experience, the way he is able to get more out of players, and then you have that youthful enthusiasm from Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham, everyone else who is involved in the coaching staff.
“There is a lot to be said for players wanting to play so much for a certain individual. I think you will get that with this squad of players. Albeit they will need to be a lot of new names.”
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