"Will Martin O'Neill still be in charge of Celtic when the Scottish League Cup reaches its conclusion next month? Or will the holders have a different man in charge for the quarter-final, semi-final and final of this season's competition? "I don't even know when the final is," the interim manager said after guiding his side to a 3-1 extra-time win over 10-man Rangers at Hampden."
"If almost any other manager admitted such blissful ignorance, people would think they were at it. But not 73-year-old O'Neill. The Northern Irishman - who was given 10 minutes to agree to a return to Parkhead on Monday - said earlier in the week he didn't really know what fixtures awaited him when he began his second stint in charge of Celtic, 20 years after his first. Falkirk were first up on Wednesday. Then Rangers on Sunday. His 28th Old Firm game... and, at the end of a chaotic contest, his 17th win."
"Afterwards, O'Neill said he'd "secretly" love to still be in charge by the time of the final against St Mirren on 14 December. But he did reiterate his belief that the club will be making "inroads" for a permanent replacement in the upcoming international window. Time wil tell but, for now, he can reflect with satisfaction on a win that he reckoned aged him 20 years and in which he managed to avoid looking like Robin Hood..."
Martin O'Neill returned to Celtic as interim manager on very short notice and guided the team to a 3-1 extra-time victory over 10-man Rangers at Hampden. He accepted the role with about 10 minutes to decide and had limited knowledge of the fixture list when he resumed the job he held 20 years earlier. Celtic beat Falkirk comfortably in his first match back and showed renewed unity and urgency. O'Neill expressed a desire to remain for the final versus St Mirren on 14 December but acknowledged the club will seek a permanent manager during the international window. He described the experience as ageing him 20 years yet left satisfied by the result.
Read at www.bbc.com
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