MARTIN O'NEAL RETURNS TO CELTIC AGAIN POST WILFRIED NANCY SACKING AS IRISHMAN 'HONOURED'

The Irishman handed over the reins at Parkhead to Nancy just last month after his interim spell

Martin O'Neill(Image: SNS Group)

Legend Martin O'Neill has made another sensational return to Celtic – after being named manager until the end of the season following Wilfried Nancy's sacking.

On another dramatic day in Glasgow’s East End, Irishman O’Neill is back in charge of the Scottish champions – just 33 days after departing to allow Nancy to take over.

Celtic are enduring a chaotic campaign with Nancy's tenure brought to a dramatic and sudden end after just eight games in charge. He suffered nightmare defeats to table-topping Hearts, St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup final and Rangers on Sunday as he managed just two wins in his tumultuous tenure.

When O'Neill left the club after his interim tenure back in the Celtic dugout in early December, the club were level on points with the Jambos while boasting a game in hand. Now, they trail Derek McInnes' men by six points and have allowed the Light Blues to move level on points with the Hoops in second.

But Parkhead icon O’Neill has now quickly been brought back for a third time just hours after the Frenchman was shown the door. The Irishman will be supported by Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham as assistants, as well as Stephen McManus, who will join existing coaches, Gavin Strachan, Stevie Woods and Greg Wallace.

The returning gaffer said: “I am really pleased, in fact, very honoured to be asked back to manage the team again and I am looking forward to getting back to work again with the players.

“I know we would all have hoped for things to have worked out differently under Wilfried and I personally want to wish him good luck with everything he does in the game.

"He is a fine man and I am sure he will go on and achieve success again, I have no doubt of that.

“For me, I've been asked to take this great job on again and my focus will be to try and get us back to winning ways if we can. We will need everyone right behind us.

“We still have a lot to look forward to and a lot to try and achieve, and myself, Shaun and the coaching staff and, of course, the players will be giving everything to achieve all the success we can for the club.”

- Mark Pirie