Martin O'Neill is chasing a fourth Celtic title 21 years after his last one, with the veteran manager back in the frame at a club he once turned into a serial winner. Celtic are playing today, and O'Neill's latest spell has given the season a familiar, late-season charge.
He won seven trophies with Celtic between 2000 and 2005, including three championships, and his return has dragged the club into another decisive run. O'Neill has already had two spells as interim manager this season, and yesterday he said there was a reasonable chance this would be his last home game in charge.
The scale of what is unfolding was captured by Darren O'Dea, who said how Celtic are here is beyond him and that a lot of it is down to O'Neill. He added that Celtic players are taught the cameras show up to see them get beat, because that is why they come to away games and banana skins, and said that is why the finish is so gripping. He said it has the makings of an incredible finish.
Celtic's position matters because they are in next weekend's Scottish Cup final, leaving the season still open to a double. That gives O'Neill's side something to play for beyond the league race and keeps the pressure on every result between now and then.
The backdrop also sharpens the contrast with Derek McInnes, who finished ninth with Kilmarnock last season, two places below Hearts, before an incredible debut campaign at Tynecastle. His progress underlines how quickly fortunes can change in Scottish football, while O'Neill's return shows how much one familiar figure can still shape the mood at Celtic.
The last home match line hangs over all of it. If this is the end of O'Neill's latest stint, he has at least pulled Celtic into one more meaningful run, with a title still in reach and a cup final next weekend that could turn a good recovery into a season remembered for silverware.
