Martin O’Neill’s Celtic change of heart explained after managerial doubts

The 74-year-old raised doubts over his position following a difficult run of results before ultimately deciding to remain in charge of the Scottish champions.

Since returning from the international break, Celtic have won two of their three matches, with Sunday’s emphatic 7-1 victory over Hearts providing a significant boost to confidence around the club.

Strachan, who succeeded O’Neill as Celtic manager in 2005, believes his former counterpart simply needed time to reflect following a disappointing period.

Speaking to The Herald, Strachan said: “Every manager has a moment of doubt after a painful defeat where they question if they want to continue.

“But after stepping back and reflecting, Martin O’Neill realised how good the opportunity at Celtic is.

“People scrutinise body language, but managers process defeat in different ways. It’s good to see Celtic respond with strong performances after the break.

“You can tell when a manager owns their interviews, and it was good to see Celtic play so well.

“Martin is the right man for the job.”