Nottingham Forest name club legend Martin O’Neill as new manager

Nottingham Forest have appointed former Republic of Ireland boss and club legend Martin O’Neill has been named as their new manager.

The Championship side moved fast to replace former manager Aitor Karanka, who parted company with the two-time European Cup winners last week.

O’Neill will be the 11th man to stand in the City Ground dug-out since June 2011, Forest are ninth in the league while being four points outside the play-off places as they look to finish within the top six for the first time since the 2010-2011 season.

The length of the deal has yet to be announced, but the 66-year-old returns for the first time since helping Forest win back-to-back European cups. He played 371 matches for the team he now manages.

It’s the manager first venture into club football since taking charge of Sunderland back in 2013, he was sacked on March 30th after losing 1-0 to Manchester United.

O’Neill’s management career in club football had been largely successful before the Northern Irishman joined the Black Cats. He won three SPL titles and three Scottish cups with Celtic, along with getting to the UEFA Cup final in 2003 only to be beaten 3-2 by Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto side.

Before that he guided Wycombe Wanderers into the Football League and won two League Cups with Leicester City.

His most recent success in club management was when he led Aston Villa to three consecutive sixth-place finishes in the Premier League.