MARTIN: TIME TO DELIVER

Celts legend Martin on accepting another call from desperate Dermot and the battle ahead...

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

WORKING HARD Maloney

THE last time, Martin O'Neill was sitting on the King’s Road in London sipping a coffee.

This time, he was enjoying a brew in Glasgow's Duke Street.

And each time the name flashed up on his mobile - the Northern Irishman answered the call.

O'Neill might be worried every time he sticks the kettle on, the way it’s going with Celtic this season.

Yet here he was once more, back at Lennoxtown wearing his famous Copa Mundial boots, this time looking a little less shiny than they were when they were pulled off the Sports Direct shelf back in October.

A crazy season took another bizarre turn on Monday when O'Neill was summoned by Dermot Desmond for another rescue mission. The 73-year-old could have been forgiven for blanking the Celtic powerbroker's call this time around.

But that’s not O'Neill's style. Not when it comes to this club.

Instead, the Parkhead legend just welcomed the chance to step up once more in the Hoops’ hour of need.

ONeill said: “Dermot was to the point. He said, ‘Would you come in?’ If I can give him this time to look at, to the end of the season, for him to look at someone and that be the man that, through thick and thin, is going to lead Celtic on in the next couple of years, that's fine.

“Regardless of the results, you’re still a bit surprised.

“I don't speak to Dermot that often in that sense, but if that’s what he wanted to do and that's what the board wanted to do, then I was happy enough to go with it.

“It didn't last that long. But neither did the first conversation. He put the ultimatum to me pretty quickly.”

Unlike October, O'Neill is not coming in with his eyes shut this time though.

He now knows the squad - the strengths and the limitations.

And he also knows what is required, and Desmond didn't need to spell it out.