Martin O’Neill urges Celtic to offer James Forrest new deal

Martin O’Neill advised the Celtic board to extend James Forrest’s contract after the 34-year-old winger climbed off the bench to help the Hoops seal a 6-2 extra-time win over St Mirren in their Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final.

A nightmare mistake by Saints stand-in goalkeeper Ryan Mullen saw Daizen Maeda give the Hoops a first-minute lead at Hampden and right-back Anthony Ralston added a second on the stroke of half-time.

A second-half double from St Mirren striker Mikael Mandron, the second in the final minute, took the game to extra time.

Academy graduate Forrest, who replaced Sebastian Tounekti after the hour mark, came to the fore and set up Kelechi Iheanacho for the first of his two goals.

He was also involved in fellow substitute Luke Cowan’s goal, with Benjamin Nygren notching too to set up a final showdown with Dunfermline, managed by O’Neill’s former skipper Neil Lennon.

“I would like to keep James for one more year at least and so that he could see his career through at the football club,” said O’Neill.

“I would be asking the board and I think James would stay for another year.

“He’s 34, with just a little burst he’s given us something.

“He has changed a number of games for us. He changed the game at Aberdeen. Nygren scores the goal, but he came on and changed that.

“We scored from him getting the cross at Rangers as well. So he’s definitely played a part.”

O’Neill, in his second spell as interim boss this season, was in mischievous mood when asked if Forrest, who won the last of his 39 Scotland caps two years ago, should be in contention for a World Cup spot.

The former Aston Villa, Sunderland and Republic of Ireland boss said: “I used to hate this when other managers were telling me how to run the football club or run international football.

“So I do not want to have a headline – but why not? Put him in.”

Lennon’s Championship side beat Falkirk 4-2 in a penalty shootout on Saturday and O’Neill said: “I’ve just done an interview with him. He was doing some punditry work – he gets everywhere.

“But he has done remarkably well. Did brilliantly for me at Leicester and at Celtic and he’s done brilliantly at Dunfermline – what an effort yesterday. So I look forward to it.”

St Mirren interim boss Craig McLeish was “so proud” of his team’s performance but will consider the option of an emergency goalkeeping loan as the Buddies return to their bid for William Hill Premiership survival.

With five post-split fixtures remaining, Saints are two points ahead of Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.

With number one Shamal George out, debutant Mullen had to come off with a thigh injury after 14 minutes to be replaced by 17-year-old debutant Grant Tamosevicius.

McLeish said: “We will need to assess Ryan over the next few days. Shamal got a scan yesterday and we are still waiting on the results, there is a chance he could be back relatively quickly.

“I brought Grant to the club when he was 13, he is a fantastic young keeper and we have really high hopes for him.

“That (emergency loan) is something we might need to look at and assess, but if Grant plays, Grant plays. Our young ones have to be ready to step in when required.”