O’Neill ultra-keen to retain Roy

Martin O’Neill says he will do all he can to try to persuade Roy Keane to stay on as his assistant, but seems resigned to the notion the job of managing Celtic is an offer the Cork man simply won’t be able to refuse.

Keane is now on the brink of succeeding Neil Lennon as the new boss at Parkhead, meaning he would be leaving his post with the international squad less than eight months after he and O’Neill were unveiled amid great fanfare as the dynamic duo who would lead Irish football into a new era.

O’Neill revealed yesterday that Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond had contacted him earlier this week to seek permission to speak to Keane. Initial, informal talks between the two subsequently took place on Wednesday night.