The pressure has been eased on the Celtic board, thanks to Martin O’Neill.
Only a fortnight ago, dark clouds were hovering above Celtic, but in next to no time, O’Neill has transformed the mood.
That was aided by Celtic’s extra-time win over Rangers at Hampden on Sunday in the League Cup semi-final, and it has now engulfed talk that the club’s legendary coach should be given the gig permanently.
As of this moment, O’Neill is preparing for Celtic’s trip to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday, and Simon Jordan has talked up the 73-year-old getting the job.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesSimon Jordan slams Martin O’Neill and Danny Rohl ‘narrative’
Whether O’Neill gets the gig full-time remains to be seen, but Jordan thinks it’s a ‘distinct possibility’ that he is still in the Celtic Park dugout for the rest of the campaign.
Jordan also wanted to slam the nonsense around O’Neill’s age and how it doesn’t matter that he is currently the oldest coach in British football.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Crystal Palace owner slammed the ‘narrative’ that has been peddled around about how O’Neill is ‘twice’ the age of Rangers’ 36-year-old coach, Danny Rohl, when they faced each other at Hampden.
“I think he will continue to manage Celtic,” said Jordan. “He has given them an opportunity to pause for thought.
“Not necessarily just about him, but about the consideration of who they have to appoint. Celtic need to make the right decision. They don’t need to be hurried along by the constant ticking down of the media’s perceptions of when they have to appoint this manager. It builds up a narrative.
“As long as Celtic are going well under Martin O’Neill, it gives them an opportunity to consider and look. I think there is a distinct possibility that he could be there for the rest of the season.
“If the games are being won. What is the rush? So what if he’s 73? So what if he is twice the age of Danny Rohl? I saw the narrative being peddled out by the Sky guys who were observing on the game.
“If he’s winning football matches and keeping order, then Dermot and the other shareholders in the business don’t have to rush to make a decision, which is a nice place to be in.”
Why Jordan wants O’Neill to be in charge for Celtic vs Hearts
Hearts have made a blistering start to the campaign, and they are sitting nine points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership table.
Brendan Rodgers’ final game in charge was the defeat at Tynecastle, where the champions of Scotland were outclassed throughout the 90 minutes.
But regardless of what happens to O’Neill, Jordan explained why he wants the Irishman in charge when Hearts visit Parkhead on December 7.
“Keep him in,” said Jordan. “I would like to see him kept there until they play Hearts again, which is in about three weeks’ time.
“Given that he was so disparaging about them when they got beaten last week by Hearts, which was post the fact that Brendan resigned. Stick him in until that game.”