Martin O'Neill Celtic fears prove unfounded - and how he has done Wilfried Nancy a favour
Legacy enhanced as veteran coach once again proves worth
Eyebrows were raised when Celtic brought Martin O'Neill out of retirement to steady the ship following the resignation of Brendan Rodgers last month.
Doubts were expressed - even Geraldine O'Neill feared her husband would "mess it up" - at the prospect of the 73-year-old returning to the dugout after a six-year absence.
The fear was that O'Neill might somehow tarnish his Celtic legacy, as if that could even be possible given all he achieved in the dugout between 2000 and 2005, by returning to a club in a state of disharmony.
The opposite has proven the case with O'Neill only enhancing his legendary status by steering the club through choppy waters. He has won five of his six matches in charge including an Old Firm cup semi-final and a famous victory over Feyenoord - a first Celtic away win in Europe in four years and the first in the Netherlands since he masterminded a win over Ajax in 2001 - all against the backdrop of significant supporter unrest aimed at the board of directors.
Another victory over Hibs in his final match in charge on Sunday would put the icing on the cake amid calls from fans for a statue to be erected in the Northern Irishman's honour.
What must his predecessor be thinking? Rodgers enjoyed great success over his two spells in charge of Celtic but O'Neill has proven that his countryman was not getting the most out of the current squad, which he had compared to a Honda Civic.
The team that put Feyenoord to the sword on Thursday was more resemblant of a Rolls Royce and should have been good enough to get past Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan over two legs in the Champions League play-off, let alone avoid falling eight points Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership. That gap has now been cut to four with a game in hand.
O'Neill has used his Midas touch to get Celtic back into a good place with momentum building. If he follows up the Rotterdam heroics with another win at Easter Road on Sunday, there will be calls for him to remain at the helm.
Perhaps not ideal when a new manager in Wilfried Nancy is waiting in the wings to take over. Stepping into the shoes of the most popular Celtic manager alive? No pressure, Wilfried.
On the flipside, it could be argued that O'Neill has actually done Nancy a favour ahead of his move from Columbus Crew.
The Frenchman will now be inheriting a squad brimming with confidence which presents a far better starting point than the situation O'Neill was thrust into last month, when Celtic were struggling to find any rhythm and had lost back-to-back league games at Dundee and Hearts.
O'Neill has also given off strong hints that he would not be willing or able to cope with the relentless nature and demands of the job on a permanent basis, as tempting as it might be for him.
"Deep down, have I loved it? I probably have," he admitted in a Sky Sports interview on Friday.
If he can sign off with another victory at Hibs on Sunday - and few would bet against him - he can ride off into the sunset safe in the knowledge that the club has been left in a strong position in the title race and with a chance of progression in the Europa League.
Has anyone ever received a manager of the month award while no longer with the club? O'Neill must be in the running for November's award even though he is set to step aside next week.
“I think there’s movement ahead and that, with a fair wind, something should be happening at the beginning of next week," O'Neill stated in his Friday press conference. “I spoke to a couple of the board members who were saying that things are definitely progressing at the other end.”
The most pertinent observers of the impact O'Neill has had in his 34-day interim tenure are the players themselves.
“He’s amazing,” said Luke McCowan in the aftermath of the 3-1 victory over Feyenoord. “Just an unbelievable character. The way he talks in the team meetings, it’s just brilliant. He just says stuff that is at the top of his mind there and then, and it just breaks the ice within the whole room.
“He’s able to take the heat off a serious situation or a serious team talk, he’s able to make it fun and light but at the same time tells you that there are demands that come with playing for this club.
“That’s the main thing he always pushes. Even right after the game he came in and said, ‘Right lads, we’re in tomorrow, we’ve got a game on Sunday’. That was his first message.
“You can tell he’s been a top manager and that is why he is so respected. His best quality is man-managing people and getting the best out of the crowd that he’s got.
“It’s just been great seeing the sort of demands he places on everybody, knowing that when you play for Celtic this is what is needed. Then he’s just brought that humour with how he is, and it’s been great. It’s been class.”
Boyhood Celtic fan McCowan admitted it was “surreal” to be working under a man whose initial reign he had heard all about from family members.
“It’s been like a time machine and just how I thought it would be,” the 27-year-old said. “I would have loved to have seen him when he was 20 years younger and probably had more energy and more hunger!
“He’s been great for the boys as it has shown and as it will for Sunday too, and we just need to keep pushing and putting on performances."
Regardless of the result, O'Neill can be assured of a rousing send-off in Leith.
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