Martin O’Neill doesn’t know if he’ll be offered the Celtic job for next season.
He doesn’t even know if he’d take the gig if Dermot Desmond does ask the big question.
But O’Neill is hoping he’d get a little more time to find his answer this time around.
The SOS sent out by the Irish tycoon last October will go down as one of the most famous phone calls in the club’s history.
It’s a well told tale now, with O’Neill, minding his own business sipping coffee on the King’s Road after his pundit stint on TalkSport, when Desmond reached out for help – and gave him just 10 minutes to make a decision.
The Parkhead powerbroker has coped a ton of flak this season and his scorched earth breakdown with previous boss Brendan Rodgers didn’t go down well with a lot of supporters, along with the infamous family statement that nuked the club’s AGM.
But there’s no doubt Desmond going back to the former gaffer – twice – proved to be an inspired move.
O’Neill didn’t take long to make the leap – but it could be different time around.
In some ways it’s a no brainer. O’Neill had dragged Celtic out of a shambles and delivered an incredible double.
Any other interim boss would already have a contract signed, sealed and delivered.
But there is more to take in to account. There’s no escaping the age factor as the rebuild required is huge for a 74-year-old.
Even more so though, the man himself could have a decision. Does he have the energy for another gruelling 60-match campaign at home and in Europe?
Or would be happy to sail off into the sunset after delivering the one of the most incredible doubles in the club’s history.
It’s a pickle for the man in the thick of it but while there’s suspicion he’s hooked on the Hoops, O’Neill insisted he could turn Desmond down this time and bow out on a high.
READ MORE:O’Neill on the big Desmond meeting
