Former Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill is set for a swift return to management.
The 66-year-old will become the next Nottingham Forest manager this week. The club are set to appoint the Forest legend to succeed Aitor Karanka.
As a player O'Neill won the European Cup twice and also helped them win the League. Forest are currently 4 points off the play-off places in the Championship table.
Daniel Taylor was the first to break the story in the Guardian, he reports that the Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has held talks with O’Neill over the last 48 hours and the club are optimistic about finalising a deal.
Forest have pursued O’Neill for the best part of 20 years. They first tried to appoint him as Brian Clough’s successor in 1993.
Most recently the club tried to lure O’Neill away from the Republic of Ireland, but he turned down the chance for any kind of meaningful talks in 2014.
Martin O'Neill will be the next manager of Nottingham Forest
Speaking last month, O’Neill said he would approach his next job with huge enthusiasm despite his unceremonious exit from the Republic of Ireland after a brutal UEFA Nations League campaign that saw them relegated and O’Neill slump to the lowest win ratio of any modern Ireland manager.
“I know I’m a good manager and I will always back myself, in whatever job I take next.
“There’s a perception now that I’m not only too old, but that I’m on the outside looking in. There’s an age element to it, but people also believe you’ve closed your mind to things.
“It couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’ve still got things to do in this game. I feel young, hungry.”
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