Martin O'Neill, 73, set for awkward conversation with Celtic players after replacing Brendan Rodgers

O’Neill, who guided the club to three league titles, three Scottish Cups, and a UEFA Cup final during his first spell, now steps back into the dugout with former player Shaun Maloney at his side.

The pair will take temporary charge as the board seeks a permanent replacement for Rodgers, whose relationship with the hierarchy deteriorated beyond repair in recent months.

Ironically, only hours before his unexpected appointment, O’Neill had been reflecting on Celtic’s form and lavishing praise on Hearts, who sit eight points clear at the top of the table.

Speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT, the Northern Irishman appeared relaxed and at ease, admitting that a title triumph for the Edinburgh club would be “great for Scottish football”.

“Hearts are on the rise,” he said.

“This time last year Aberdeen had a good run but you knew it wasn’t sustainable.

“Hearts are a different kettle of fish. They are strong, well backed and physically tough.

“Celtic can still play some beautiful football but you have to add physicality. When teams are physical against you, you’ve got to be able to match that.”

O’Neill added that Celtic had “lost their way a little” and were “not as physically strong”, suggesting that the Glasgow giants were vulnerable in a way they had not been for years.

“This is the moment for Hearts,” he continued. “They’ve gone eight points clear and their confidence is growing. All things are happening for them while Celtic are in a wee bit of trouble.”

In a remark that now reads as prophetic, O’Neill went on to say that a title win for Hearts would “absolutely” be a healthy development for the Scottish game.

“For Scottish football, on one level, for Hearts to win it would be amazing,” he said.

“Paradoxically, for Celtic and Rangers not to win it, you wonder where the league is going. But for the game itself, it would reinvigorate the Premiership.”

The tone changed swiftly once Rodgers’ resignation was confirmed late on Monday.

The former Leicester City boss departed a day after Celtic’s bruising 3-1 defeat to Hearts, ending his second spell at the club in acrimony.

Major shareholder Dermot Desmond issued a blistering statement accusing Rodgers of being “divisive, misleading and self-serving” and of fostering a “toxic atmosphere” within the club.

“When we brought Brendan back two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of success,” Desmond said.

“Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust.”

Rodgers, whose deal was due to expire next summer, had grown increasingly frustrated by what he saw as a lack of ambition in the transfer market.

Celtic spent just over £13million on new players this summer, roughly half of what they earned in sales. He also accused senior figures of leaking stories to the press, calling it a “cowardly act”.

Now, O’Neill finds himself back at the heart of the drama he once dominated.

After six years away from management, the veteran coach returns to steady a shaken club that sits eight points adrift and in need of the very fight and conviction he once embodied.