Celtic to Welcome Wilfried Nancy as New Manager
Wilfried Nancy is set to take charge of Celtic for their upcoming Scottish Premiership match against Hearts on Sunday, as confirmed by interim manager Martin O'Neill.
The head coach of Columbus Crew has been in advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for nearly a week and is now on the verge of finalizing the agreement.
O'Neill has served as caretaker manager for over a month following Brendan Rodgers' resignation, achieving six victories in seven matches. This success has helped close the gap on Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership and has led Celtic to a spot in the Premier Sports Cup final.
The 73-year-old, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, had anticipated that his last match would be Sunday’s encounter against Hibernian, which Celtic won 2-1. However, O'Neill has revealed that he will also oversee Wednesday's league match against Dundee before Nancy officially takes over.
"He is the man that will be coming in," O'Neill stated in an interview with TalkSport. "I thought it was over on Sunday, but there’s still some paperwork to finalize. Wednesday will definitely be my last game."
Reflecting on his time as interim manager, he added, "It’s been surreal. It’s like a part of your life where you think, ‘Did that really happen?’ Am I delighted that I’ve done it? Absolutely."
If Celtic secures a victory against Dundee and Hearts triumphs over Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could lead his new team to the top of the Premiership in his first match in charge.
O'Neill commented, "It’s a nice one for him against Hearts, a good introduction. It will be a challenging game, but I wish him well. At least he’s stepping into a team with confidence." This confidence has been built on O'Neill’s recent successes, with only one defeat in the last five weeks—a 3-1 loss to Midtjylland in the Europa League.
However, the team rebounded with a significant 3-1 away victory against Feyenoord last week, marking their first away win in Europe since 2021.
Celtic currently stands 21st in the 36-team table, with three matches remaining against Roma, Bologna, and Utrecht. "We lost to Midtjylland, which was tough, especially since they recently defeated Nottingham Forest. Winning away at Feyenoord was fantastic. We’ve given ourselves a chance, with three games left to qualify, and that Feyenoord match restored our confidence," O'Neill explained.
'Will I cry? Don’t be stupid'
When asked about his reflections during his interim management, O'Neill indicated that it has led him to consider his future in football. "I genuinely don’t know. I will think about things after Wednesday evening. It wasn’t easy. There was a fear of failure, which is always a concern. I used to joke that I could do the job as poorly as many other managers," he said.
He acknowledged the valuable experience gained, crediting the young coaches alongside him for reinvigorating his passion for the game. Regarding a potential consultancy role at Celtic, O'Neill stated that it would ultimately be up to Nancy to decide. "That is really for the incoming manager to determine. He should have the freedom to make his own choices. If he wants my opinion, that’s fine; if not, that’s perfectly okay too. It’s his team from the moment he steps in," O'Neill concluded.
As the interview wrapped up, TalkSport host Jim White inquired whether O'Neill would feel emotional when the final whistle blows on Wednesday. O'Neill humorously responded, "Do you mean am I going to cry? Don’t be stupid."