Martin O’Neill heaps praise on ‘exceptional’ candidate for permanent Celtic job

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It’s been quite the week for Martin O’Neill.

After appearing on Talksport on Monday, an unexpected phone call from Dermot Desmond gave him the sudden opportunity to return to Celtic.

Unbeknown to anyone at that point, Brendan Rodgers had tendered his Celtic resignation, in a total U-turn on his vow to stay at the club for three years.

Dermot Desmond’s scathing statement on Rodgers was even more stunning, and detailed a relationship which was well and truly over.

And whilst O’Neill prepares for this Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers, Desmond will be keeping an eye on his search for a permanent manager.

Martin O’Neill on rumoured candidate for permanent Celtic job

Ange Postecoglou was initially seen as the favourite to replace Rodgers, just as Rodgers had replaced him.

But reports now suggest that Big Ange won’t be coming back, opening the job up to a host of other rumoured candidates.

READ MORE: Wilfried Nancy questioned on Celtic manager links as he makes ‘humidity’ admission

One of whom, Craig Bellamy, is well-known to O’Neill having been signed on loan by the Irishman for the second half of the 2004-05 season.

Wales boss Bellamy hasn’t applied for the Celtic role, as 67 Hail Hail reported, but his name is not yet fully out of the conversation.

Asked about Bellamy at his press conference on Friday, O’Neill said: “Craig? I think he’s done exceptionally well. First of all he was an assistant, wasn’t he, and then he’s become manager of Wales.

“And he’s given them an enormous lift, really. I know about the result where they got beaten against Belgium, but the thing I always remember about Craig is that he’s a student of the game.

“Even just as a player. You know, sometimes people just play the game and wouldn’t know the history of anything at all.

“Seriously, I think you could ask him, ‘who won the FA Cup in 1893?’ and he probably would know it.”

O’Neill was full of praise – but whether Bellamy can be convinced to walk away from the Wales role in the midst of their World Cup qualification campaign remains doubtful.

Who knows, should O’Neill put a run of results together, he could look after the hotseat until after the tournament, should Bellamy succeed in qualifying.