🔗 Share this article

According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach will be on the Celtic touchline for Sunday's Scottish Premiership match versus Hearts.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been part of advanced negotiations with Parkhead side for nearly seven days and currently appears ready to wrap up an agreement.

O'Neill has served as interim boss for more than a month ever since Brendan Rodgers resigned, achieving six victories out of seven games, cutting into the lead at the top in the Scottish Premiership while also steering the club to League Cup place in the final.

The veteran manager, who once coached the club between 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he believed the trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game of his second spell in charge.

However, O'Neill revealed he will oversee Celtic for the midweek league encounter with Dundee before Nancy steps into the role.

"He is the man that will be coming in," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I assumed my time was up last weekend, however there's some formalities yet to be completed. Wednesday is certainly my final game."

An Unusual Period

"It's been like a dream," he added. "It feels like a part of your life that makes you wonder 'did all of that actually occur?' Am I pleased that I took the role? Absolutely."

If the Hoops beat their opponents while the Jambos see off Killie on Wednesday, Nancy could guide his new club to the top of the table with a victory during his first match in charge.

"That's a decent start for Nancy versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A good way to start. It will be a difficult game of course and I wish him all the best. At the very least he's getting a team full of self-belief."

That confidence comes from the interim manager's results in matches in the last five weeks, where he has suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat away to Midtjylland in the European competition.

Nevertheless, the former Irish national team boss along with his squad were then able to claim their first away win on the continent since way back in 2021 as they beat Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated by Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a difficult match – a couple of weeks earlier they defeated Forest, so that was difficult. To travel to De Kuip and win on their patch was fantastic. We've given ourselves a chance, with three games remaining to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam was key for confidence."

Thoughts on the Future

When asked for his thoughts during his spell as caretaker, O'Neill stated it has led to consideration about whether he would like to carry on managing in the future.

"I honestly am unsure," he admitted. "I'll take a little think about things following Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "I felt a fear of failure – that is always a big concern. I used to boast I could do this job equally as badly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned a lot. I've got some excellent young coaches working with me and it's been a new lease on life for me in many ways, interacting with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

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

"That decision is solely for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be given full autonomy. Should he desire my opinion on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that is okay either. It's very much his squad the moment he steps into the breach."

Presenter the interviewer ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional once the final whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

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