Martin O’Neill declared he had enjoyed the “time of his life” after exiting Celtic with a 1-0 victory over Dundee.
The 73-year-old’s interim reign ended with a seventh win in eight games, which drew Celtic level on points with William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts with a game in hand.
Daizen Maeda’s early header earned Celtic a win which ensured O’Neill and Shaun Maloney have wiped out an eight-point deficit since the sudden departure of Brendan Rodgers.
O’Neill, who won seven trophies in a five-year spell from 2000, also leaves new manager Wilfried Nancy in the Premier Sports Cup final and with a solid platform to make progress in the Europa League following last week’s away win against Feyenoord.
Speaking to fans on the Celtic Park pitch following the final whistle, O’Neill said: “These players have been absolutely fantastic and that’s why they are champions. It’s been a privilege to work with them and I have had the time of my life in the past five or six weeks.”
When asked if he had a final message for the Celtic supporters, O’Neill said: “The Celtic supporters? They just need reminding that they are the best in the world.”
