Nancy Is Set to Lead for the Glasgow Giants This Week - Martin O'Neill

According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach will be in the Celtic dugout for Sunday's Scottish Premiership match versus Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's manager has been engaged in advanced negotiations with Parkhead side for nearly a week and now looks set to finalize a deal.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of temporary gaffer for more than four weeks ever since the previous manager stepped down, achieving six victories out of seven games, cutting into the lead at the top in the league table while also steering the club to a Premier Sports Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, a former boss of Celtic from 2000 and 2005, had already indicated he thought Sunday's match at Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – was likely to be his final act in his return at the helm.

But, the interim boss disclosed he will lead the team in Wednesday's Premiership match against Dens Park before Nancy steps into the role.

"He's the individual who will be arriving," stated O'Neill to the radio station. "I assumed my time was up last weekend, but there's some formalities still to be dealt with. The Dundee game is certainly the end for me."

A Bizarre Experience

"This has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It's like a chapter of your life where you think 'did that really happen?' Am I happy to have taken it on? Without a doubt."

If the Hoops beat Dundee while the Jambos see off Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could lead his new club to summit of the Premiership with a victory in his first match as manager.

"It's a decent start for Nancy against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A good way to start. It will be a challenging fixture of course and I wish him all the best. At least he's getting a side full of self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of the interim manager's results during games over the past month or so, where he has suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 loss away to Midtjylland in the European competition.

However, the ex- Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players subsequently managed to achieve their first away win on the continent since way back in 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated to Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That was a hard fixture – a couple of weeks earlier they thrashed Forest, so that was difficult. To travel to De Kuip and secure a victory away from home was fantastic. We've given the team a chance, there are three matches remaining to try to qualify, but that Feyenoord game was a restoration of belief."

Future Ambitions

When asked for his thoughts on his time as caretaker, O'Neill says it has prompted consideration about whether he would like to carry on in management in the future.

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

"It was not simple," he continued. "I felt apprehension about failing – that is an ever-present big concern. I once joked I could do the job just as poorly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned much. I have had some excellent young coaches working with me and it has served as a reinvigoration personally in several respects, interacting with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of if he might remain with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester City, Villa and Republic of Ireland manager stated this is completely the decision of Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the new boss to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be given free reign. Should he desire my opinion on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that is perfectly fine at all. It becomes his squad the moment he steps into the breach."

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

"Are you asking if I will get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Don't be stupid."