O’neill’s return
Club legend back at Nottingham Forest
Martin O’neill is making an emotional return to Nottingham Forest as their new manager, with the Championship club also hoping to persuade Roy Keane to join their promotion mission.
O’neill will be named as Forest’s 11th manager since June 2011 today after making a huge impression with Forest officials last weekend.
The 66-year-old has agreed to return to the club where he spent a decade as a player, winning two European Cups and the First Division title under Brian Clough, and is expected to sign an 18-month deal.
Forest are also in negotiations with former midfielder Keane, who established a close partnership working with the Republic of Ireland team, and expect a response this morning.
O’neill quickly emerged as the club’s preferred candidate on a shortlist which also included former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic and Carlos Carvalhal, after the departure of Aitor Karanka on Friday.
Jokanovic had been the initial No1 target, but his salary demands, and O’neill’s enthusiasm for the post during talks, ensured the Ulsterman jumped to the front of the queue.
O’neill left his post as the Ireland manager in November and he has been determined to return to the front line. He did hold talks with Stoke earlier last year before the club opted for Paul Lambert. Now O’neill is returning to Forest after “blowing away” ambitious owner Evangelos Marinakis with his drive for the job during talks. Confirmation of the appointment is expected this morning. Forest are ninth in the table, four points off the playoffs, and Marinakis is convinced the arrival of O’neill, and potentially Keane, will galvanise the club. Funds will be made available for O’neill in the transfer window and his first game will be Bristol City at home this weekend.
It promises to be a hugely emotive return to Forest for O’neill, whose association with the club began in 1971.