Nancy Is Set to Lead of Celtic This Week - Martin O'Neill

According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is expected to be leading Celtic for this weekend's Scottish Premiership clash versus Hearts.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been part of detailed discussions with the Parkhead side for nearly seven days and currently appears ready to complete an agreement.

O'Neill has held the role of caretaker manager for more than four weeks since the previous manager departed, securing six wins out of seven games, narrowing Hearts' lead in the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, had previously suggested he believed the match at Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game of his second spell in charge.

But, O'Neill stated he will lead Celtic in Wednesday's league encounter against Dundee prior to Wilfried Nancy takes over.

"He's the person set to be arriving," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I thought my time was up on Sunday, however there's some formalities yet to be dealt with. Wednesday is certainly my final game."

A Bizarre Experience

"It has been like a dream," O'Neill continued. "It's like a part of your life where you think 'did all of that really happen?' Am I delighted that I took the role? Without a doubt."

If Celtic defeat Dundee and Hearts see off Kilmarnock in midweek, Nancy could lead his new club to the top of the table if they win in his opening fixture as manager.

"That's a decent start for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A nice introduction. It will be a challenging fixture naturally and I wish him well. At least he inherits a side with some confidence."

That confidence stems from the positive run in matches in the last month or so, where he has lost only once – a three-one loss away to Midtjylland during European competition.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager along with his squad were then able to claim their first away win in Europe since way back in 2021 by defeating the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost by them," O'Neill recalled. "That was a difficult match – a couple of weeks earlier they defeated Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To travel to De Kuip and win away from home was excellent. We have given the team a chance, with three games remaining to try to qualify, but that Feyenoord game was a restoration of confidence."

What Comes Next

Upon being asked for his reflections on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts about whether he would like to continue managing in the future.

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I will have a little think on everything following the match on Wednesday."

"It was not simple," he added. "I felt a fear of failure – which is always a major worry. I used to boast that I was capable of doing the job equally as badly as a lot of other managers."

"I have learned a lot. I have had some excellent coaching staff alongside me and it has served as a refresh personally in many ways, dealing with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

Regarding whether he will stay with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester, Villa and Republic of Ireland boss stated this is completely up to Nancy.

"That decision is really for Nancy to decide," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. Should he desire my opinion on matters, that is acceptable. If not, that is perfectly fine either. It's very much his squad the minute he steps into the breach."

TalkSport host the interviewer ended the interview if O'Neill if he would be emotional when the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean am I going to cry?" O'Neill responded. "Please don't be silly."