Wilfried Nancy Will Take Charge for the Glasgow Giants in the Coming Days - Martin O'Neill

As stated by interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is expected to be leading Celtic during this weekend's Premiership match versus Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's manager has been involved in advanced negotiations with the Parkhead side for nearly a week and currently looks set to wrap up an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of interim boss for over four weeks ever since the previous manager resigned, achieving six victories out of seven games, narrowing Hearts' lead of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to League Cup place in the final.

The veteran manager, a former boss of the club from 2000 to 2005, had already said he thought Sunday's trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game of his return in charge.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he is to manage Celtic in Wednesday's Premiership match against Dundee before Wilfried Nancy takes over.

"He's the man that will be taking over," O'Neill told the radio station. "I assumed my time was up on Sunday, but there remains formalities yet to be completed. The Dundee game will assuredly be the end for me."

A Bizarre Experience

"It's been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It's like a part of your life that makes you wonder 'did all of that really happen?' Am I happy to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should Celtic beat Dundee and Hearts overcome Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could potentially take his new club to the top of the table if they win during his opening fixture as manager.

"It's a decent start for him versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A gentle introduction. It is going to be a tough match naturally but good luck to him. At the very least he takes over a side with a bit of confidence."

This self-belief stems from the positive run in matches in the last month or so, where he has suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 defeat at Midtjylland during European competition.

However, the former Irish national team boss and his players then bounced back to claim their first away win on the continent since way back in 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

A Confidence Boost

"We were defeated by Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That proved to be a difficult match – a couple of weeks earlier they thrashed Forest, so that was a challenge. To go to Feyenoord and secure a victory away from home was excellent. We've given ourselves an opportunity, there are three games left to attempt qualification, but that victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Future Ambitions

Upon being asked for his reflections during his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to consideration on if he would like to continue managing going forward.

"I genuinely don't know," he admitted. "I will have a little think on everything after Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he added. "I felt apprehension about failing – which is always a big concern. I once joked I could do this job equally as badly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned a lot. I have had some excellent young coaches working with me and it has served as a refresh for me in many ways, working with young players every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

On the subject of if he might remain at Celtic as an advisor, the former Leicester, Villa and Republic of Ireland boss says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That decision is really for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill stated. "He should be given free reign. If he wants my advice on things, that is acceptable. If not, that is okay at all. It's very much his team the minute he enters the breach."

Presenter the interviewer concluded by asking if O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental when the full-time whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean if I will cry?" O'Neill replied. "Don't be silly."