🔗 Share this article

Per the words of caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is slated to be leading Celtic for this weekend's Premiership match against Hearts.

The manager has been part of detailed discussions with Parkhead side for almost seven days and currently appears ready to finalize a deal.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of interim boss for over a month since Brendan Rodgers departed, securing six victories out of seven matches, cutting into Hearts' lead of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to a League Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who once coached Celtic between 2000 and 2005, had already indicated he thought Sunday's visit to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – was likely to be his final act of his second spell at the helm.

However, the interim boss disclosed he is to manage the team in the midweek league encounter with Dens Park before Nancy assumes control.

"He is the person that will be arriving," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I assumed it was over on Sunday, but there's some paperwork yet to be sorted. The Dundee game will definitely be the end for me."

A Bizarre Experience

"It's been unreal," O'Neill continued. "It's like a chapter in one's life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I pleased that I took the role? Most certainly."

Should Celtic defeat their opponents and Hearts overcome Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could potentially take his new club to the top of the table if they win during his debut game in charge.

"It's a good fixture for Nancy against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A nice introduction. It will be a challenging fixture of course and I wish him all the best. At the very least he takes over a side with some self-belief."

That confidence is a result of the positive run on the field in the last month or so, where he has suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 loss away to Midtjylland during Europa League.

Nevertheless, the former Irish manager and his players subsequently managed to claim a first away win on the continent since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a few weeks before they thrashed Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To go to De Kuip and win on their patch was excellent. We've given ourselves an opportunity, there are three matches left to attempt qualification, but that Feyenoord game was a restoration of belief."

Future Ambitions

Upon being asked for his reflections on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill stated it has prompted consideration on if he would like to carry on managing going forward.

"I genuinely am unsure," he admitted. "I'll take a wee think about things after the match on Wednesday."

"It was not simple," he continued. "There was a fear of failure – which is an ever-present big concern. I used to boast that I was capable of doing this job just as poorly as a lot of other gaffers."

"I have learned a lot. I've got some excellent coaching staff working with me and it's been a reinvigoration for me in many ways, interacting with young people every day."

Consultancy Role?

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

"That decision is really for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. If he wants my advice on matters, that is acceptable. If not, that is okay either. It's very much his team the moment he enters the job."

TalkSport host the interviewer ended the interview by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental when the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Are you asking am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be silly."