Lennon: O'Neill ready to return

It is understood contact with O'Neill was made by the Black Cats on Thursday as they started the search for Steve Bruce's replacement in earnest. BBC Radio Five Live reported overnight that O'Neill has accepted an offer to join Sunderland. Celtic manager Lennon would welcome a return to the Premier League for O'Neill, having worked under his fellow Northern Irishman during his spells in charge at Leicester and Parkhead. Lennon said: "If he gets the job, it would be brilliant to see him back in the game. "He has a penchant for lifting clubs. Sunderland is a huge club and I know that as a boy growing up, it was his favourite team, so there might be an emotional tie there for him. "But I think he is just ready to get back into the game and if he is offered the job, whether he takes it or not, I hope that if that is what he wants to do, we will see him back in the Premier League sooner rather than later." Asked if he was surprised that O'Neill had remained out of the game since leaving Aston Villa in August last year, Lennon said: "A manager of that calibre? I'm very surprised." O'Neill heads a list of candidates, closely followed by former Fulham manager Mark Hughes, for the post vacated by Bruce on Wednesday evening. Chairman Ellis Short is keen to make a swift appointment with the club currently languishing just two points above the relegation zone ahead of games with Wolves and Blackburn. Newcastle defender Ryan Taylor, who worked under Bruce at Wigan, said: "I was sorry to see Steve go, he did well for me over my career when I was at Wigan. "But football is all about winning and if people are spending millions of pounds trying to get a team right and you are not winning, it's always going to happen. "You can say it's gone a bit mad, but you can look over past seasons and if you are not winning games, you always seem to lose your job. "I wish him well in the future and I am sure I will see him back in management soon."