🔗 Share this article

Per the words of caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be on the Celtic touchline during this weekend's Scottish Premiership fixture against Hearts.

Columbus Crew's manager has been involved in advanced negotiations with the Parkhead side for almost seven days and currently seems poised to finalize an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of caretaker manager for more than a month since the previous manager stepped down, notching six wins in seven games, reducing the lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership while also steering the Parkhead outfit to a Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who once coached Celtic between 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he expected Sunday's trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be his final act of his second spell in charge.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he is to manage Celtic for the midweek league encounter with Dundee prior to Nancy steps into the role.

"He's the individual that will be arriving," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I believed my time was up last weekend, however there's some formalities yet to be completed. The Dundee game will definitely be my final game."

An Unusual Period

"It has been surreal," he added. "It resembles a chapter of your life that makes you wonder 'did all of that actually occur?' Am I happy that I've done it? Most certainly."

If the Hoops beat Dundee while the Jambos defeat Killie on Wednesday, the incoming boss could potentially take Celtic to the top of the table with a victory during his first match as manager.

"It's a good fixture for Nancy versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A good way to start. It will be a challenging fixture naturally and I wish him well. At the very least he takes over a side with some confidence."

That confidence stems from the interim manager's results in matches in the last five weeks, a period where he lost only once – a 3-1 loss away to Midtjylland during European competition.

However, the former Irish manager and his players then bounced back to claim a first victory on the road in Europe since way back in 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost to them," O'Neill said. "That was a hard fixture – a few weeks earlier they defeated Forest, making it a challenge. To travel to De Kuip and win on their patch was excellent. We have given the team an opportunity, with three matches remaining to attempt qualification, but that victory in Rotterdam was key for confidence."

What Comes Next

When asked for his thoughts on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts on if he desires to continue in management in the future.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I will have a little think about things following the match on Wednesday."

"It was not simple," he continued. "There was apprehension about failing – which is an ever-present big concern. I used to boast I could do the job equally as badly as a lot of other managers."

"I have learned much. I have had some great young coaches working with me and it's been a refresh for me in many ways, working with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding whether he will stay with the club in a consultancy role, the former Leicester City, Villa and Republic of Ireland manager says that is completely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That is solely for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill stated. "He should be allowed his own space. If he wants my opinion on things, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem either. It's very much his squad the moment he enters the job."

TalkSport host Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional or sentimental when the full-time whistle blew on Wednesday.

"Do you mean am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be stupid."