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As stated by interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach will be on the Celtic touchline for this weekend's Premiership match versus Hearts.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been engaged in detailed discussions with Glasgow club for almost a week and currently looks set to finalize a contract.

Martin O'Neill has served as temporary gaffer for over a month since the previous manager departed, achieving six wins out of seven games, narrowing the lead at the top of the league table and guiding the Parkhead outfit to a League Cup place in the final.

The veteran manager, who previously managed Celtic between 2000 and 2005, had previously suggested he believed Sunday's trip to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – was likely to be his final act in his second stint in charge.

However, O'Neill stated he will oversee Celtic in Wednesday's Premiership match against Dens Park prior to Nancy takes over.

"He is the person that will be taking over," O'Neill said to the radio station. "I thought my time was up last weekend, however there remains paperwork still to be completed. Wednesday will definitely be the end for me."

A Surreal Spell

"This has been unreal," O'Neill continued. "It's like a part in one's life where you think 'did all of that really happen?' Am I pleased that I've done it? Without a doubt."

Should Celtic beat Dundee while the Jambos defeat Killie in midweek, Nancy could lead Celtic to the top of the table if they win during his first match as manager.

"It's a decent start for Nancy versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A good way to start. It is going to be a challenging fixture of course but good luck to him. At the very least he's getting a side full of self-belief."

This self-belief comes from the interim manager's results on the field in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 loss away to Midtjylland in the Europa League.

However, the former Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players subsequently managed to claim their first victory on the road on the continent since way back in 2021 by defeating Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

Restoration of Confidence

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a couple of weeks earlier they thrashed Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and secure a victory on their patch was excellent. We have given the team a chance, there are three games left to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of confidence."

What Comes Next

When asked for his reflections during his spell as caretaker, O'Neill says it has prompted thoughts on if he desires to carry on in management in the future.

"I genuinely don't know," he said. "I'll take a moment to reflect on everything after Wednesday evening."

"It was not simple," he added. "I felt apprehension about failing – which is always a major worry. I once joked that I was capable of doing the job just as poorly as a lot of other managers."

"I have learned a lot. I've got some excellent young coaches working with me and it's been a reinvigoration for me in several respects, working with young people every day."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of whether he will stay at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester, Villa and Ireland boss stated this is completely up to Nancy.

"That is solely for Nancy to decide," O'Neill stated. "He must be given full autonomy. If he wants my advice 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 job."

Presenter the interviewer ended the interview if O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental when the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Don't be ridiculous."