MAKE OR BREAK MONTH

O'Neill urges Celts to tool up for title fight

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

MARTIN O'NEILL has told the Celtic board they will need to seriously tool up in the transfer window for the three-way fight for the title.

The club legend checked in at Lennoxtown yesterday morning for a third spell in charge - and his second stint this season - to help drag the Hoops out of the wreckage of Wilfried Nancy's disastrous reign.

O'Neill was straight back to business and held transfer talks with staff after his first training session.

The 73-year-old revealed assistant Shaun Maloney has already been working on new recruits behind the scenes with former head of football operations Paul Tisdale also emptied on Monday.

And O'Neill has let the Hoops board know in no uncertain terms what is needed to fend off the challenge from league leaders Hearts and arch rivals Rangers.

He said: "That's an enormous task. It's going to be difficult, no bones about it.

"There are fewer games to play now than before, and Rangers must have gained a psychological advantage over us there.