The international break arrived at a much-needed time for Martin O’Neill.
What was initially an excellent start in his first full season back in the dugout has threatened to turn disastrous after crashing out of Champions League qualification, suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Ferencvaros in the Europa League, and losing two Old Firm derbies on the bounce.
It’s the stuff of nightmares for the veteran manager, whose Celtic side are now just two points above Rangers in the Scottish Premiership with the pressure continuing to increase.
In public, however, O’Neill has the backing of Parkhead chiefs. Club chief Michael Nicholson told reporters after a second Old Firm derby defeat in two weeks: “The losses in the last week have been painful for us all.”
He then insisted the club, “will now come together and support Martin and the players, as we focus our efforts on achieving success domestically and in the Europa League.”
That said, not even O’Neill could escape the reality that the end of his tenure could be rapidly approaching after telling reporters himself that the end could be near.
“It might be time to wrap it up.” – O’Neill after a second Old Firm defeat
There’s certainly a lot for Celtic to think about and recent reports have name-dropped former Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe as a potential option as well as former Everton manager Sean Dyche.
Celtic now targeting Sean Dyche
In the event that O’Neill does depart, a shortlist of potential replacements is already emerging. According to TeamTalk, Celtic are now plotting a move for Dyche, who has been out of a job since leaving Nottingham Forest after just 25 games last season.
The English manager is part of a shortlist, which also includes Kieran McKenna, and could return to the dugout and complete a move to Scottish football for the first time in his career.
Dyche has often found himself hired to take clubs away from relegation danger, though did previously help Burnley qualify for European football after bringing them up to the Premier League.
The Celtic job would be new territory nonetheless and new pressure that the 55-year-old has never experienced in a high-profile pursuit of title glory.
|
Sean Dyche Premier League record |
|
|---|---|
|
Games |
350 |
|
Wins |
99 |
|
Draws |
95 |
|
Defeats |
156 |
Even without a significant title under his belt, however, Dyche has been at the centre of some impressive praise over the years. Manchester United legend and former Aberdeen manager Sir Alex Ferguson even dubbed the Celtic candidate “fantastic” after his work at Burnley.
There would be plenty of risks involved and Celtic are backing O’Neill for the time being, but there’s no doubt that a manager with 99 Premier League wins under his belt is a viable option for the Bhoys.