3 hours ago
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Martin O'Neill believes Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic legacy is secure despite the spectacular public fall-out with Dermot Desmond.
Rodgers’ second spell in charge at Parkhead came to a spectacular end on Monday when he resigned before being filleted in a statement written by the club’s powerbroker.
In an extraordinary outburst published on the official website, Desmond said the ‘words and actions’ of the now former manager had been ‘divisive, misleading and self-serving’.
With long-time assistant John Kennedy also leaving the club, O’Neill has agreed to lead the team on an interim basis, with Shaun Maloney stepping up from his post as player pathway manager to help him.
Despite the rancour surrounding Rodgers’ departure, O’Neill feels his record of delivering 11 trophies across two spells will not be forgotten.
Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager on Monday after things turned sour at Parkhead
Martin O'Neill has returned to Celtic as interim manager to try to steady the ship
O'Neill will be assisted by former Celtic player Shaun Maloney, who was working at the club
‘In both spells I think he did fantastically well. He was really, really great,’ said O’Neill, who was previously manager between 2000 and 2005.
‘In his first spell he was magnificent and in his second spell, coming back, he had to win the crowd over again and I think he did that. It was terrific.
‘I witnessed the game in Munich in February which, for me, was Celtic at their very best in European football against Bayern.
‘Absolutely, he’ll be remembered as a brilliant Celtic manager.
‘I don’t think it will affect his legacy. Why should it?
‘You’re judged by results on the pitch and, while at this minute it’s a bit of a struggle for Celtic, the overall picture is one of real positivity. So, I don’t think that will be remarked upon.’
O’Neill admitted that he was saddened to see the relationship between Rodgers and Desmond go so sour at the end.
‘It is really sad to see that,’ he added.
‘I obviously wasn’t expecting it. I don’t know what has been going on because, despite the fact Dermot brought me here 25 years ago, since I left I have not had that many conversations with him. It is quite sad to see and I don’t know what has taken place.’
O’Neill was contacted by Desmond by phone on Monday and agreed during a brief telephone conversation to take interim charge.
Once tonight’s Premiership game with Falkirk is out of the way, he plans to reach out to the man he now replaces in the dug-out.
‘No, I haven’t spoken to Brendan. I’m sure I will do, absolutely I will do,’ he said.
‘I’ll give him a call. I genuinely haven’t had the chance to breathe at this minute.
‘I was hoping at one stage that if things had happened a wee bit more quickly that I could have gone up for the training today.
Maloney and O'Neill faced the media on Tuesday afternoon, with their first match on Wednesday night against Falkirk
‘The first time that I will really see the players is tomorrow.’
Having lost at Tynecastle last Sunday in what proved to be Rodgers’ final game in charge, Celtic trail Hearts by eight points.
Asked what he felt the club needed to get back on track, O’Neill said: ‘Naturally I think it’s the easiest thing in the world to say that when a club is successful it has everybody going in the same direction.
‘That doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment. Whether I’m able to do that or not is in the lap of the gods. But I think winning football matches has always been the main contributor to fans and the club being together.”
Insistent that he’s not keen on extending his stay even if results take an upturn, O’Neill said: ‘This is definitely an interim. They could have a new manager in two weeks. If we don’t win on Wednesday evening we might have a new manager on Thursday!’
