Martin O'Neill would reject any Celtic "tokenism" after a move for the boss to become director of football was floated. Following defeat to Rangers last Sunday, O'Neill admitted he will consider his future during the international break and could walk away from the job after three defeats in a row.
Board support and a floated solution
Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson has offered his support to O'Neill, insisting "we all want the best for Celtic" as the club await a decision from the veteran gaffer. But Simon Jordan — who worked with O'Neill regularly on talkSPORT before he rejoined Celtic last season — insists the 74-year-old "doesn't want" any job in the boardroom as a potential solution amid mounting fan unrest.
Former Celtic star Mark McGhee suggested to talkSPORT: "I think at the end of last season, Martin should have went upstairs and should have become the director of football, and he could have mentored in a new, young manager with energy to take the club forward. It was a missed opportunity. What happens now? Martin looks uncertain, but the board seem to be behind him. You can understand why, he has done remarkably well. So, it remains to be seen what will happen - but that's the big thing for me, they missed an opportunity."
Jordan's verdict on the role
But the former Crystal Palace owner wasn't having it: "Does he know that Martin O'Neill wants to be a director of football? It's all well and good suggesting what people should and shouldn't do, but maybe Martin didn't want it. If Martin put his hand up for it, I'm sure there would be a few candidates who would be quite happy with Martin O'Neill in that space. Then again, what is a director of football's job? How well versed is Martin in international scouting and across the network of building out models?"
"I don't think he is, I don't think Martin is in that space. So, I think what you are talking about is tokenism. Martin doesn't want tokenism. What Martin could be involved in is a recruitment process that brings in a successor."
Unification question dismissed
Asked if giving O'Neill a post upstairs to join the board going forward would "unify" the club — amid ongoing disputes between supporters and the Parkhead decision-makers — by Jim White, Jordan responded: "No, it wouldn't. It would make Martin the whipping boy. He is not going to change the direction of travel on what Dermot Desmond is prepared to do. Martin O'Neill would be the public face of the Celtic board so he can get the flack. I think Martin would have been well wise to stay clear of that, and I think he wanted to manage the football club. If Martin wanted to be director of football, he could have suggested that himself."
