🔗 Share this article

According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is slated to be leading Celtic for this weekend's Premiership clash against Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's manager has been involved in detailed discussions with the Parkhead side for almost seven days and now looks set to wrap up a deal.

O'Neill has been acting as interim boss for over a month since the previous manager resigned, securing six wins in seven games, reducing Hearts' lead of the league table and guiding the team to Premier Sports Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed the club from 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he expected Sunday's match at Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game of his second stint at the helm.

Yet, the interim boss disclosed he will lead the team in the midweek league encounter with Dens Park prior to Wilfried Nancy takes over.

"He's the person that will be coming in," O'Neill said to the radio station. "I believed my time was up last weekend, but there's some paperwork yet to be completed. Wednesday will assuredly be my final game."

A Surreal Spell

"It's been like a dream," he added. "It's like a chapter of your life that makes you wonder 'did that actually occur?' Am I delighted that I've done it? Absolutely."

If Celtic defeat Dundee and Hearts defeat Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could lead Celtic to the top of the Premiership with a victory during his first match as manager.

"It's a good fixture for Nancy versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A good way to start. It will be a difficult game naturally and I wish him well. At least he takes over a team with a bit of confidence."

That confidence stems from the positive run in matches in the last five weeks, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat away to Midtjylland during Europa League.

Nevertheless, the ex- Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players subsequently managed to claim a first away win in Europe since 2021 by defeating the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

A Confidence Boost

"We were defeated by Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That proved to be a difficult match – a couple of weeks earlier they mauled Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and win on their patch was fantastic. We've given the team an opportunity, there are three games left to try to qualify, however, the victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Thoughts on the Future

Upon being asked for his reflections on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts on if he would like to carry on in management going forward.

"I genuinely don't know," he said. "I will have a little think on everything after the match on Wednesday."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "I felt a fear of failure – which is an ever-present major worry. I once joked I could do the job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I've learned much. I have had some excellent young coaches alongside me and it's been a reinvigoration personally in many ways, working with young people every day."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of whether he will stay at Celtic as an advisor, the former Leicester, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland boss says that is completely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill stated. "He should be given free reign. If he wants my input on things, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that is okay either. It's very much his squad the minute he steps into the role."

Presenter the interviewer ended the interview by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental when the final whistle sounded on Wednesday.

"Do you mean am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill responded. "Don't be silly."