Martin O’Neill could have become Nottingham Forest manager on numerous occasions, the offer to build on his legend with the club having been made by more than one regime.
But now he appreciates sentimentality is of little consequence.
‘The target is to get promotion,’ he said. ‘I’m here for 18 months and if we can’t get up, I’ll hand it over for somebody else to try.’
Martin O'Neill has returned to former club Nottingham Forest as manager on an 18-month deal
It is a short-term contract for a man long in years but listening to him on Thursday at the City Ground, where he helped create miracles as a player for 10 years, was to hear the essence of enthusiasm.
‘I love football, that has never waned,’ he said. ‘I’ve reached an age where somebody could step in here, do really well and stay, and I’d retire and go off into the sunset and never have this opportunity.
‘I have a lot of very fond memories here. To go from promotion to the title, to League Cups, to European Cups, for a provincial club, was extraordinary. Heady days.
‘But don’t live in the past. I’m trying to carve a niche here for the current players. I’ve had a number of chances before, but I wasn’t sure if it was the right time. Maybe this is some sort of destiny.’
O'Neill is very keen for his former Ireland No 2 Roy Keane to join him at the City Ground
O’Neill would like to extend that sense of fate to Roy Keane, another former player who is in talks to join as No 2, reprising their partnership with the Republic of Ireland.
‘I would dearly like him to join us,’ O’Neill said. ‘He has things to consider. He wants to manage himself and he is very capable of doing that. He was a great asset to me with
