O’Neill denies Leeds approach

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has at last broken his silence over speculation linking him to the vacant Leeds United job.

O’Neill has attempted to brand it as exactly that - speculation - and insisted his only immediate priorities concerned preparing his players for the new season.

However, with Leeds yet to make an official approach for the man they want to succeed David O’Leary, who was sacked last week, his words could prove to be only of temporary comfort to worried Hoops fans.

He told www.celticfc.net: ‘‘I have just come back from Japan amidst much speculation about my future.

‘‘I have had a chat with our chief executive, Ian McLeod, about a number of things, as you would expect, and I understand from him that there has been no approach from Leeds, or any other club for that matter, so the speculation continues to be simply that.

‘‘We have just completed the first day of training and I am back to work with the staff and players. We are all looking forward to the start of the season and our Champions League qualification tie.’’

O’Neill had continually dodged the question of whether he was prepared to listen to the Elland Road club and had even run away from a barrage of questions at Heathrow Airport yesterday.

Now he has chosen the safe haven of the club’s official website to make his announcement, although the matter is unlikely to end there.

The shrewd Ulsterman is unlikely to pass up an ideal opportunity to prise more transfer cash - and an improved contract - from the Celtic plc board, who run the risk of incurring the wrath of thousands of fans if their most successful manager since Jock Stein leaves.