O'Neill agrees to take Celtic job on permanent basis

Celtic won a domestic double under Martin O'Neill after he returned to the club; the 74-year-old took over on an interim basis from Brendan Rodgers and then replaced Wilfried Nancy until the end of last season; Celtic also held talks with Robbie Keane over the role

>Martin O'Neill has agreed to become Celtic's permanent manager.

>The 74-year-old has given the green light to sign an initial one-year deal at Parkhead.

>It follows talks with the club's major shareholder, Dermot Desmond, who had also held conversations with former player Robbie Keane - which led to criticism from a number of fan groups.

>O'Neill returned to the club twice last season and guided them to a domestic double, including a Scottish Premiership title triumph on the final day of the season.

>After lifting the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park earlier this month, he felt the Hoops could be "looking at somebody younger" as they searched for a new boss.

>Following the shock resignation of Brendan Rodgers last October, there was even more surprise as O'Neill was given the call to take over on an interim basis - 20 years after his previous spell at the club.

>During that period, he won every league game to turn an eight-point deficit to Hearts into a situation where Celtic were level on points with a game in hand.

>O'Neill also led Celtic to the League Cup final after beating Rangers, plus boosted their Europa League hopes.

>He then made way for Wilfried Nancy. However, the Frenchman lasted just 33 days into his two-and-a-half-year deal, and O'Neill returned again - this time until the end of the season.

>At that stage, Celtic had slipped six points behind Hearts and seen Rangers draw level on points, with the club having also lost the League Cup final.

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>However, O'Neill helped the Hoops recover on and off the park. Off it, he guided the club through the January transfer window, plus worked to quell unrest between the fans and board. On it, he secured a spot at Hampden in the Scottish Cup, plus cut that gap to Hearts in the league before pipping them to the title after a final-day decider.

>Then came that Scottish Cup final as he overcame his former captain Neil Lennon's Dunfermline at the national stadium.

>More than two decades on from his last spell in Glasgow, O'Neill added two more trophies to the seven he had won at the club from 2000-2005.

>Sky Sports' Chris Sutton won three league titles during O'Neill's first spell in Glasgow, but believes this season's triumph tops them all.

>"It's all about Martin O'Neill, magic Martin. How he turned it around, I couldn't tell you," he said.

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>"Celtic have stuttered and spluttered this season but Martin has got the old Honda Civic roaring again. When it mattered, a magnificent seven wins on the trot to take Celtic over the line in the league.

>"That may be Martin O'Neill's biggest-ever success in management."

>Sky Sports' James McFadden added: "It is unbelievable what Martin O'Neill has achieved this season.

>"To come in, in the first instance, and steady the ship, the club was a mess. He was in for a short time and he managed to turn it around, leave them in a good position.

>"To turn it around again and turn Celtic into a team that is lifting more titles is quite incredible. We've spoken about legends at this club but you can't understate what this man has done.

>"He was written off, even in the interim period. He has shown he can come in and get the best out of what is available to him. It hasn't been vintage football, but it is winning football."

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>In a season of twists and turns, people thought Hearts might become the first non-Old Firm club to become top-flight champions since 1960. By the end, it was Celtic who once again rewrote the record books.

>Since 1930, Rangers had more league titles to their name, but in recent years that gap narrowed, before Celtic drew level on 55 last season. Now, they lead that race on their own with 56.

>It has been a generation of domination, with the Hoops winning the league 20 times compared to Rangers' six since 2000.

>The bragging rights well and truly belong to Celtic.

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