Thursday’s 3-1 victory over Feyenoord ended Celtic’s four-year look ahead to an away win in Europe, whereas O’Neill, together with coach Shaun Maloney, engineered an extra-time League Cup semi-final win in opposition to Rangers.
“I’ve truthfully loved it,” O’Neill mentioned of his interim spell.
And the very best half? “Successful video games,” he smiled. “That can by no means change. Beating Rangers all the time helps.”
O’Neill managed Celtic from 2000-05, successful three league titles, three Scottish Cups, and a League Cup. He additionally took them to the 2003 Uefa Cup last.
Along with his solely defeat of this interim interval coming away to Midtjylland within the Europa League, the previous Northern Eire worldwide was thrilled by the show in opposition to Feyenoord in the identical competitors.
“I should not downplay the efficiency,” he mentioned. “I believed we have been actually sensible.
“It was pretty much as good as we have performed in my time right here.”
O’Neill had not managed a membership since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in June 2019.
“In the course of the time after I wasn’t managing I used to be all the time pondering ‘I may handle’,” he mentioned. “The urge for food is all the time there. In my final days on earth I will nonetheless be pondering ‘yeah, that is OK, I will be capable to do this’.
“This has been a possibility handed to me by the person who gave me the job 25 years in the past [major shareholder Dermot Desmond].
“I’ve little question I’d have been doubtful if another person had requested me to do it on an interim foundation. However the name to handle Celtic once more was actually too nice and it is all come collectively which is very nice.”
