No hasty decision from O'Neill

Martin O’Neill was keeping his counsel tonight as his future with Celtic remained in the balance.

Neither manager nor club offered any fresh clues as to whether Saturday’s Scottish Cup final would be his final match in charge.

The Celtic boss is expected by many in the game to take a break from football to care for wife Geraldine, who is ill.

He has spent five years in the Parkhead hotseat and hinted himself on Friday that there was a chance he could step down.

The Tennent’s Scottish Cup final against Dundee United on Saturday would present O’Neill with the chance to provide a successful finale to his reign, following their championship agony at the weekend.

O’Neill’s departure would first have to be announced to the Stock Exchange as Celtic are listed as a plc.

But former Coventry and Southampton boss Gordon Strachan has already been touted as a potential successor.

Strachan was the choice of the Tartan Army to replace Berti Vogts before the Scottish Football Association appointed Walter Smith as Scotland manager.

And Celtic fans have indicated his appointment would be welcomed.

Another scenario is O’Neill remaining at Celtic in a consultancy role, with team affairs being handed over to his right-hand men John Robertson and Steve Walford, while being given more time to attend to family matters.

Former Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas expects an announcement regarding O’Neill’s future to be made by the club before the Hampden final.

But Nicholas believes the possibility that the Northern Irishman could remain in a reduced capacity is plausible.

He said: “Martin, whose wife Geraldine has been ill for quite some period of time, is planning to maybe take some time out.

“I don’t know how Celtic will react to that.

“There has been strong links with Gordon Strachan or would they give Martin a little more time and keep John Robertson and Steve Walford as the coaches and keep him there?”

Former Celtic and Leicester striker Jim Melrose expects O’Neill to walk away.

He said on Sky Sports News: “His wife has been ill for about a year now and nobody knows how long it will take for her to beat this illness and that will have a bearing on what he decides to do.

“The long-term plan is obviously to get Geraldine back into full health and what that takes only Martin will know. But he will have a plan of some sort.

“The man thrives on pressure. He is a man of immense work principles.

“Obviously, with the illness to Geraldine that has put a different emphasis on the pressure but he will come out the other end stronger for it.”

Rangers snatched the championship from Celtic’s grasp on a dramatic final day of the league season.

But Rangers defender Marvin Andrews has already sent his best wishes to O’Neill and his family.

The devout Christian said today: “My main concern for Martin O’Neill is about his family and his wife.

“Myself and my minister in the church are going to pray that God touches his wife and helps her recover from whatever problem she has.

“You cannot compare any championship in football to family.”