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As stated by caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is slated to be in the Celtic dugout during this weekend's Scottish Premiership fixture versus Heart of Midlothian.

The head coach has been engaged in advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for almost a week and now looks set to finalize an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has been acting as interim boss for over a month ever since Brendan Rodgers departed, notching six victories out of seven games, cutting into the lead at the top of the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to a Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, a former boss of Celtic between 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he thought the trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – would be his final act in his second stint in charge.

However, O'Neill stated he will manage the team for Wednesday's league encounter with Dens Park prior to Nancy steps into the role.

"He is the individual that will be coming in," O'Neill said to TalkSport. "I thought it was over last weekend, but there's some formalities yet to be completed. The Dundee game will assuredly be my final game."

A Bizarre Experience

"It has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a chapter in one's life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should the Hoops defeat their opponents and Hearts defeat Killie on Wednesday, Nancy could lead his new club to summit of the table if they win during his first match in charge.

"That's a decent start for Nancy against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A good way to start. It is going to be a tough match of course but good luck to him. At the very least he's getting a side with a bit of self-belief."

That confidence is a result of the positive run in matches in the last month or so, a period where he lost only once – a three-one loss at Midtjylland during Europa League.

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

A Confidence Boost

"We lost to them," O'Neill said. "That was a hard fixture – a few weeks earlier they thrashed Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To go to De Kuip and secure a victory away from home was excellent. We have given the team a chance, with three games left to attempt qualification, however, the Feyenoord game was key for confidence."

What Comes Next

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

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I'll take a wee think about things following Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "I felt a fear of failure – which is always a major worry. I once joked I could do the 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 refresh personally in several respects, working with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of if he might remain at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester City, Villa and Republic of Ireland manager stated this is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That is solely for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be given free reign. Should he desire my opinion on things, that's fine. If not, that's not a problem either. It becomes his squad the moment he enters the job."

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

"Are you asking if I will cry?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be stupid."