Martin O’Neill rules out long Celtic stay as Kieran McKenna emerges as candidate

O’Neill says he pulled himself off floor after job offer

CELTIC MANAGER CANDIDATES: Martin O’Neill has insisted his return to Celtic will be “short term” as the Ipswich manager, Kieran McKenna, emerged as a candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers. Picture: David Maher / SPORTSFILE

Martin O’Neill has insisted his return to Celtic will be “short term” as the Ipswich manager, Kieran McKenna, emerged as a candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers.

In a shock move on Monday evening, Rodgers resigned from Celtic with his team eight points adrift of Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Equally surprising was the return of O’Neill, whose previous, hugely successful spell in charge ended in 2005. The 73-year-old said he had to “pull myself off the floor” when taking a call from the club’s main shareholder, Dermot Desmond. Rodgers was castigated by Desmond in a statement posted on Celtic’s website within 15 minutes of the manager’s departure being confirmed.