Keane link to Celts won’t faze O’Neill as Ireland only priority
Martin O’Neill heard the big breaking news from his old club barely an hour before he oversaw Ireland’s first training session of their summer schedule in Malahide yesterday and then, only minutes after leaving the pitch and still soaked from the rain, he had to contend with being asked if he harboured any fear that his assistant manager might not see out the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
“Actually, funnily enough, I haven’t, because I just spoke to him a moment ago and he said he’s going to stay with me forever,” O’Neill quipped. “Get it in!”
In truth, O’Neill is canny enough to know that it’s a question which is bound to recur given his assistant’s unusually high profile.
“On a serious note, can I just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if his name is linked with a number of things,” he conceded. “It started off with him as assistant manager to Louis van Gaal — and that hasn’t materialised. If something does materialise, we’ll have a conversation and I’m sure he would tell me first of all what might be happening, if that was the case. If it was something so extraordinary that you would seriously really have to think about it, I could understand that. But that has not happened.
“If Roy’s name is linked with this particular job (it’s understandable) because he has an affinity with Celtic too, having stepped out of Man United, I know at the end of his career, to play at Celtic, when he had an opportunity, I believe, to play in Spain. And he turned that down to go to Celtic. So I’m sure his name will be linked with it but if you tell me they have stopped taking bets on Henrik Larsson, then maybe it’s done.”
Again, O’Neill reiterated that he’s entirely happy with Keane’s commitment to their joint project.
“When (Roy) set out (in the Ireland role), I think the commitment to want to come in here and do the job was there. Now the games are soon coming around. I know it still seems a little while and there’s a World Cup to go through but the games are soon coming around. I accept that lots of things can happen but I think he’s pretty well committed at this minute. But, again, he is the assistant, I was the one who chose him and I’m sure he would let me know.
“I actually think his job here has put him right back into focus again, as much as doing the ITV programmes. It’s great and I’m absolutely delighted for him. I wasn’t expecting to have this type of question way back when I was taking him on last October. But if I had had maybe a second thought about it, I would have realised these things would have been coming up. So I’ll deal with it.”
As to his own association with Celtic, O’Neill made clear there can be no going back. “The torch has passed for me,” he said. “I had a really great time, loved it immensely, and I might well have been still there if not for other reasons. It’s a great club but, no, the torch has passed and it goes onto other people. But honestly, you have to be there to realise just how brilliant a club it is.
“I had a great time at Leicester, I loved it immensely. I had a bond not just with the players, or hopefully I had, but with the supporters. There wouldn’t have been too many sides in the Premiership I’d have wanted to leave for but I wanted to manage Celtic and I’ve never regretted it. I’m delighted, really am, that I became one of the managers they have had in their history. And they have a great history.”
Earlier in the day, another former Celtic man said he is convinced Lennon will be a success if, as expected, he takes up a new job in English football.
“He was great when I worked under him at Celtic, even if it was only for nine or 10 games,” said Everton’s Aiden McGeady. “I really enjoyed it when he was the manager there. At the same time he could be your mate as well a little bit, although he told you when things weren’t right. He was very positive, very, very positive. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
For his part, Lennon says he will help Celtic find a successor as he moves on to a “new challenge”.
He said: “Serving the club was always a privilege. I have always given my best and aimed to do all I can to ensure success for Celtic, as a supporter it was all I wanted.
“I will now assist the club in appointing my successor. As ever, we will need our fans’ support and I am sure they will give the club and the new manager the same great backing which they gave to myself.”
Lennon’s departure is not expected to have a knock-on effect for Jim McGuinness, the Donegal football manager, who is employed as a performance consultant at Celtic.
McGuinness was recruited by Celtic, on a rolling contract in November 2012, just a few weeks after guiding Donegal to Sam Maguire. McGuinness had his contract extended, but is now on a six-week summer break from the club as Donegal opening their Ulster Championship voyage against Derry.
For Ireland, though, there are other issues. Ahead of Sunday’s friendly game against Turkey, all of the squad — bar the four players involved in the Championship play-off — were at Gannon Park yesterday, although Hull’s David Meyler sat out training prior to undergoing a scan on a calf strain.
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