MARTIN O’NEILL was left red faced in his first press conference after replacing Wilfried Nancy as he spilled a huge transfer secret from last summer.
The Celtic boss, 73, addressed the media for the first time after answering the Parkhead club’s SOS for a second time this season.
As expected, the Hoops interim was quizzed on Wilfried Nancy as well as his own long-term future in the dugout after penning a deal to return until the end of the season.
And despite only just arriving at the club, O’Neill was also asked about any recent transfer developments and whether we can expect to see any current players leave.
One man heavily linked with a move away last summer was Daizen Maeda.
Former Celts boss Brendan Rodgers revealed that last season’s Player of the Year had his head turned by transfer interest in the summer after being told he would allowed to leave the club before the window closed.
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Situations had changed, though, and Maeda was denied his move away and his form dipped when the new season started.
Although there were many clubs showing interest in the Japanese frontman, it was never disclosed which club had actually put an offer in and persuaded the player to leave.
That is, however, until now.
O’Neill let it slip in his first press conference that it was a Bundesliga club that had turned Maeda’s head.
Asked to give an update on the player’s future amid interest, O’Neill said: “I don’t know what’s happened since (I left).
“There’s little point in me saying he’s really happy and wants to stay and then tomorrow morning he’s gone.
“I’ll have a word and figure out what he’s thinking through his agent.
“I think there was a little bit of disappointment that the move didn’t go through to Wolfsburg, I think in August time?”
O’Neill paused for a moment as he scanned the surprised faces of media personnel in attendance.
He asked: “Am I telling you something that people didn’t know? Am I?”
After realising his mistake, O’Neill laughed: “OK, that never happened. It was never Wolfsburg. Cut that!”
He continued: “If you’re asking me, I’d love him to stay. But I genuinely don’t know. The next press conference I’ll be able to tell you.”
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