A lot has changed at Celtic over the last week.
Brendan Rodgers’ stunning resignation threw everything up in the air, as the 52-year-old went back on his promise to see out his three years at Celtic Park.
Equally as stunning was Martin O’Neill’s return to the dugout on an interim basis. The Hoops icon got off to a winning start against Falkirk, taking charge of his first Hoops match in over 20 years.
But a bigger challenge is approaching on Sunday. O’Neill will share a dugout with fellow recent appointment Danny Rohl, in one of the most intriguing Glasgow Derbies in a good while.
But for another recent interim appointment, Barry Ferguson, there is more than meets the eye to O’Neill’s Parkhead return.
Barry Ferguson on Martin O’Neill’s return to Celtic
The 4-0 win against Falkirk was a much-needed injection of positivity into an atmosphere described as ‘toxic’ by Dermot Desmond.
But a win at Hampden on Sunday could make or break this interim appointment, which also includes coaches Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus.
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Ferguson competed against O’Neill’s Celtic in his playing days – he knows just how competitive he was.
And writing in his column for the Daily Record, he made his stance on the return of the Irishman absolutely clear.
He said: “The one thing I’d warn Danny Rohl right away is not to underestimate the man standing in the other technical area. Not for a moment that I think he will.
“I like listening to Martin speak – he’s always entertaining – and he is probably trying to paint a picture of a 73-year-old who is just glad to give his old club a helping hand in a time of need.
“And if you believe that then you need your head looked at.
“OK, he might be getting on a bit in years but he’s the same winner now as he was back then. He’ll be absolutely desperate to get one over on Rangers and not just for old time’s sakes.
“He’s also a smart man and he’ll have worked out a plan for this semi final. Be in no doubt at all about that.”
O’Neill admitted how nervous he was ahead of his return to the Parkhead dugout, and he and Maloney will doubtless be thinking through the night about how to secure a victory on Sunday.
Celtic’s recent record in Glasgow Derbies against Rangers
Rodgers returned to Glasgow with a reputation for dominating Rangers. But in 2025, this frustratingly hasn’t been the case.
A 3-0 defeat at Ibrox in January was one of the worst performances of his second spell. It was a broader sign of the side’s recent struggles in high-profile games.
Ferguson came to Celtic Park and won 3-2 in March, in another shock result. The last two derbies at Ibrox have ended in draws.
Rodgers would have faced his fourth Ibrox boss of the year had he still been in charge for Sunday – but O’Neill has the chance to go right where his predecessor couldn’t this year.
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