Celtic Exclusive Appears With Three Publishers

At 5pm the search for the new permanent manager of Celtic came to a sudden halt.

The growing anger against the likely appointment of Robbie Keane came to a sudden halt. It may resume in a year’s time.

Incredibly Scotland’s three main publishers all broke the EXCLUSIVE news at exactly the same time. Unbelievable!

At 5pm on the button the Daily Record, Sun and The Herald online all shared the exclusive news with their readers.

There was no variation in the reporting.

They were all in agreement. Martin O’Neill had a one year contract with a 12 month option.

Rejoice. It’s not Robbie Keane. It is the guy that Celtic ditched in December to make way for Wilfried Nancy.

Whoever calls the shots at Celtic decided to go with the seventh best manager in the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference.

Thirty three days later Nancy was gone, Dermot Desmond was back on the phone to O’Neill. Fortunately he agreed to return.

Another disastrous transfer window followed in January. Somehow O’Neill pulled off a double of SPFL title and Scottish Cup.

THE CELTIC MESSENGERS

Now 13 days after the Scottish Cup Final the most lazy and obvious appointment has been announced to three publishers.

The official announcement can be expected on Monday.

At 5pm in The Sun Grieve reported:

MARTIN O’NEILL has agreed a deal to continue as Celtic boss.
SunSport can reveal Dermot Desmond has finalised talks with the Hoops legend after backing away from discussions with Robbie Keane.
And O’Neill, 74, is poised to sign a one-year contract with a further one-year option.
Desmond was initially eager to appoint a younger manager with ex-Ireland star Keane – a one-time Hoops loan ace – top of his list.

At exactly the same time, in the Daily Record, Gannon broke a very similar EXCLUSIVE

Martin O’Neill staying as Celtic manager after Dermot Desmond talks see veteran beat Robbie Keane to Parkhead hotseat
The 74-year-old landed a domestic Double at Parkhead last season and has now beaten Robbie Keane to the gig for next term
Celtic are poised to confirm the appointment of Martin O’Neill as their permanent manager.

The Record added:

Record Sport has learned that O’Neill has agreed to become permanent Celtic boss for a second time by signing a one-year contract.

Completing a clean sweet of exclusive McGowan broke the news in The Herald:

Martin O’Neill has agreed to become the new permanent manager of Celtic.
The Interim boss led the Parkhead side to a league and Scottish Cup double. And he has now secured an agreement for a one-year contract with the option of another 12 months after meeting controlling shareholder Dermot Desmond in London on Thursday night.
O’Neill’s appointment will be confirmed to the Stock Exchange and follows a ferocious backlash from supporters to the prospect of Irish icon Robbie Keane landing the job after talks earlier this week. Wales manager Craig Bellamy was another candidate in the frame.

Grieve has strong contacts across Scottish football. Two weeks ago he had the genuine exclusive that Lawrence Shankland was leaving Hearts for Ibrox.

McGowan and Gannon are clearly Celtic men/reporters.

Most of their content involves Celtic, their exclusives are almost all about Celtic.

Neither will be highly critical of the multiple failings of the Celtic board. From the repeated miseries in Europe to repeated disastrous work in the transfer market.

THE REBUILD OF ALL REBUILDS

In November Gannon had the exclusive that Celtic were in advanced talks to appoint Wilfried Nancy as manager. The Record reporter followed that up with four weeks of gushing copy over how brilliant a move it was to appoint the Frenchman.

With the O’Neill deal just requiring the official stamp the focus is on what comes next.

Celtic players return for pre-season training on June 27, minus the seven involved at the World Cup and the six loan signings brought in last season. Other internationalists such as Liam Scales and Vil Sinisalo are still playing this weekend. They won’t be back at Lennoxtown until July.

That leaves a very thin squad, including Reo Hatate Paulo Bernardo and Michel-Ange Balikwisha who were dumped under O’Neill.

In goals Celtic have Sinisalo and Ross Doohan.

Realistically the midfield consists of Luke McCowan, Callum McGregor and Ben Nygren. This week the Swede has discussed his transfer possibilities.

And of course there is still the issue of replacing Kyogo Furuhashi. Sold in January 2025.

O’Neill knows the task better than anyone else. Surely he will have made his transfer requirements known in his discussions with Desmond.

Transfer activity is needed as a matter of urgency. Only the most gullible of Celtic fans will accept the excuse of missing out due to the World Cup Finals. As hollow an excuse as players waiting to find out Celtic’s Champions League fait before deciding on a move. Neither excuses are valid.