Celtic sticks with 74-year-old O’Neill as manager after league-and-cup double in Scotland

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Celtic handed Martin O’Neill a one-year deal on Thursday after the 74-year-old manager led the Glasgow giant to the Scottish league-and-cup double in the recently completed season.

O’Neill had two interim spells as coach during the last campaign, the second of which ended with a seven-match winning run in the Scottish Premiership that saw Celtic snatch the trophy from the grasp of Hearts in a title run-in for the ages.

A week later, Celtic beat Dunfermline to win the Scottish Cup final.

O’Neill was rewarded for twice galvanizing Celtic in a turbulent season with a 12-month contract, with the option of a further year.

The Northern Irishman was also Celtic manager from 2000-05, leading the team to three league title and three Scottish Cups — as well as a domestic treble in 2001.

“Last season will live long in all our memories,” O’Neill said, “and to be part of that success has in a big way whetted the appetite to work again for more days like those and bring our supporters those moments.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.