O'Neill signs three-year contract with Celtic - June 2, 2000 Celtic announced the appointment of Martin O'Neill as their manager yesterday. The former Leicester manager signed a three-year contract with the Bhoys and he now hopes to return the club to their former glory. O'Neill enjoyed a highly successful playing career at both club and international level, during which he won the European Cup twice in succession with Nottingham Forest, as well as the European Super Cup. He collected 64 caps for Northern Ireland, captaining the side to the quarter-finals in the 1982 World Cup in Spain. In football management, O'Neill took Wycombe Wanderers from the GM Vauxhall Conference to the Football League in 1993 and claimed promotion to the English Second Division the following year. O'Neill was manager at Leicester City for four and a half years. In his first season, he led the club to promotion from the First Division to the English Premiership. He also reached the English League Cup Final on three occasions, winning the trophy twice, firstly in 1997 and again this year. Martin O'Neill commented: "I am delighted to take up the position of football manager at Celtic Football Club. As I have commented previously, a club the size and stature of Celtic has the potential to once again become one of Europe's top clubs and this was a major factor in my decision to join Celtic. "I am looking forward to the challenge which lies ahead. I am confident that we can build again a successful club which can match the aspirations and expectation of our magnificent support." Celtic chief executive Allan MacDonald said: "On behalf of the Board of Celtic Plc, including myself, it is with great pleasure that I welcome Martin O'Neill to Celtic as football manager. Martin is a manager of extremely high standing within the game and we are confident that his experience and ability will be invaluable in bringing success to Celtic. "As a manager Martin has earned a strong reputation for building and developing successful sides. In addition, as both player and manager he has competed at the highest level domestically and has experience of European competition. It is this combination which convinced the Board that Martin was the man to lead Celtic forward. "Celtic has one of the best stadia in Europe, together with one of the largest supporter bases. It is important now that we begin the process of building one of the strongest playing squads. We will take time and demonstrate patience to give Martin the opportunity to do this. "The Board of Celtic has undertaken a careful and thorough selection process and in Martin O'Neill we are confident that a man of outstanding quality has been appointed." It is as yet uncertain whether Kenny Dalglish has any role to play in the new set-up but as far as O'Neill is concerned he will not be answering to the former Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle boss. |