I'm won eight major honours with Celtic - here's why I believe Martin O'Neill dugout 'continuation' was needed
Veteran boss is set to remain in charge for another year after agreeing a deal following talks with Hoops supremo Dermot Desmond
Celtic legend Tom Boyd is adamant the club have made an “outstanding” start to the summer by managing to persuade Martin O’Neill to remain in charge next season ahead of a massive squad overhaul.
The 74-year-old veteran boss has reportedly agreed to extend his stay in the Parkhead hot seat by another year after coming to the Hoops’ to the rescue last term by delivering an unexpected domestic double.
O’Neill is set to sign a deal which will include the option of a further 12 months in the coming days. While supporters will be delighted by the news, the will also know the scale of the task facing the Northern Irishman this summer.
Celtic are about to kick-start a major recruitment drive with upgrades badly needed to the current playing squad ahead of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. The Scottish champions could also bid farewell to several key stars, with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren.
The quartet have all been linked with summer exits. And Boyd - who won a treble under O’Neill in season 2000/01 - reckons continuity in the dugout will be crucial for his old club as they prepare for a busy transfer window.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” Boyd told Sky Sports. “It was the very sensible choice and Martin earned it. He deserved it, if he wanted it. It was Martin’s choice so that’s outstanding that there is that bit of continuation.
“But there is going to be a complete overhaul for players who will be leaving and players coming in. So it’s good there’s that bit of continuation on the management front for a change.
“They will know what they have wanted to identify and what players they want coming in. It’s just the process now of trying to get these players that the management will be looking at.”
With the managerial situation almost clarified, Celtic must now turn their attention to rebuilding a squad in desperate need of reinforcements and quality. A number of potential signing targets have emerged in recent weeks and O’Neill will know he must act quickly to get his preferred ones.