Copyright irishmirror
Martin O'Neill has opened up on his stunning return to Celtic after being appointed interim boss alongside Shaun Maloney. The former Ireland boss disclosed how a 'shocking' telephone conversation with Dermot Desmond left him floored. The Hoops are searching for Brendan Rodgers ' permanent replacement following his sensational departure from Parkhead on Monday night, but have temporarily turned to the experienced O'Neill and former player Maloney to fill the void. As stopgap appointments go, a manager who secured eight trophies across five seasons during his previous tenure represents a solid choice, with the 73-year-old now tasked with reinvigorating Celtic after they fell eight points adrift of Hearts at the weekend. When Desmond's call arrived, O'Neill confessed that news of Rodgers' exit came as a complete surprise to him, just as it did to everyone else. However, he didn't deliberate for long before accepting the opportunity to return, reports the Daily Record . Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: "I got a call yesterday, late afternoon or early evening, from Dermot Desmond, asking would I step in because Brendan had resigned from the football club. It was shock news as much as anything else, it shocked me too. "He asked me to step into the breach on a short-term deal for them until a manager is appointed. "Like everything else, I took a gasp of breath, and thought 'is this real? Or surreal? It's difficult to turn down the man who gave me the job in the first place 25 years ago. "By the time I'd pulled myself off the floor, I thought then maybe I should do it. "Who knows (if my heart is ruling my head)? It's short-term. Celtic maybe are stunned by the news that Brendan left. As a consequence, they are seeking a permanent manager, so this is a short-term fit. "Interim means interim. From my perspective, Celtic are looking for a young coach coming in now who has proven ability. That's how I view it and if I'm a Celtic fan just now, that's absolutely how I would view it. I'm just keeping the seat warm. "Managers have to win football matches and at Celtic, that's always the case. If we can win some matches, that would give us some buying time until the new man is appointed." Falkirk are first up for O'Neill before a Premier Sports Cup semi-final clash with Rangers, with O'Neill quipping: "If I'd seen the fixture list, I possibly wouldn't have taken it... That's supposed to be a joke, but I don't hear you laughing!". "It's come as a bit of a shock which I'm sure you can hear from my voice. But I'm working with Shaun, we go back years. He's experienced in management now and I'm sure he'll be a big help."
