O'Neill's hospital stay confirmed
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill remains in hospital after undergoing a "small procedure", the club announced. The 74-year-old is expected to be released in the "next day or two". The club did not disclose details about the nature of the operation. In a social media post, Celtic confirmed the news in response to speculation and thanked supporters for their kind wishes. They also asked that the privacy of O'Neill and his family be respected.[S1][S2][S4][S5][S6]
Recent return and achievements
O'Neill signed a one-year deal in June to become permanent manager after two interim spells last season culminated in a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double. Having not managed since a spell with Nottingham Forest in 2019, he made a shock return to Celtic last October, 20 years after his first successful stint, following Brendan Rodgers' resignation. He then briefly handed the reins to Wilfried Nancy, who was sacked after eight games, paving the way for O'Neill's return.[S1][S2][S3]
After winning his eighth and ninth major honours with the club, O'Neill agreed to take on the job full-time, signing a one-year contract with the option for a further year after talks with major shareholder Dermot Desmond. He was in the dugout on Monday as Celtic started the new Premiership campaign with a 1-0 home win over Dundee. Celtic are next in action on Sunday at Kilmarnock.[S1][S2][S4][S5]
