Martin O’Neill’s stance on accepting permanent Celtic manager offer revealed
Celtic are desperate to ensure their next permanent managerial appointment is the right one amid financial concerns caused by Wilfried Nancy’s sacking.
Celtic are believed to have paid £6million to land Nancy from Columbus Crew and while the exact fee paid for his dismissal has not been revealed, some say it could be as much as £5million.
Meanwhile, former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Celtic will have paid Nancy a significant fee, potentially the sum of one year’s salary.
As a result, they are determined not to have to pay additional compensation fees, with their limited budget being eaten into by poor decision-making.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the appointment of Martin O’Neill as interim boss has bought time for the club’s hierarchy to make the right decision and ensure the next boss is the right one.
Celtic face new financial concerns as next manager lined up
Industry expert Mick Brown told Football Insider on 5 January that Celtic got Nancy’s appointment horribly wrong, and were forced to hold their hands up and backtrack on the decision.
That decision proved both embarrassing and financially difficult for the club given the fees involved, and they are now fearful of repeating their mistakes.
Bringing in an interim replacement means they will be able to take time over the decision with the next permanent boss expected to arrive in the summer.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “Obviously, Martin O’Neill is now back for his second interim spell after the disastrous Wilfried Nancy experience.
“O’Neill himself has been quite open saying that he’s happy just to help out right now. He’s not thinking of taking the job on a full-time basis.
“It gives them time now, Celtic, with Martin in charge until the end of season that maybe they can explore their options and look to bring in a full-time appointment.
“They’ll be desperate to get this one right because Nancy was a really expensive mistake by Celtic.
“It has left them playing catch up in the Scottish Premiership as well, they’re six points behind Hearts as things stand.
“They’ll sit down at the end of the season, assess the situation and see where Celtic are as well.”
Could Martin O’Neill become the permanent Celtic manager?
Football Insider revealed on 9 January that O’Neill is unlikely to become Celtic’s permanent manager, despite a successful start to his time in charge.
The interim boss was happy to step in on a short-term basis and enjoyed a strong start with a 4-0 victory against Dundee United last time out.
However, he is not expected to take on the role long-term and the club have now given themselves time to line up their next permanent appointment without rushing into it.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on 6 January that O’Neill was the only option for Celtic after Nancy’s disastrous reign.
The 73-year-old remains a hugely popular figure among the fans and the squad following the success of his interim spell between Brendan Rodgers‘ and Nancy‘s tenures.
For more Celtic and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.