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As stated by interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is slated to be on the Celtic touchline during Sunday's Premiership fixture against Hearts.

The manager has been part of advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for nearly a week and currently appears ready to finalize a contract.

O'Neill has been acting as caretaker manager for more than a month since the previous manager departed, notching six wins out of seven games, narrowing Hearts' lead of the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed Celtic between 2000 to 2005, had already said he expected the trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – would be his final act in his second stint at the helm.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he is to manage Celtic in Wednesday's Premiership match against Dundee prior to Nancy takes over.

"He is the man that will be arriving," O'Neill said to the radio station. "I believed it was over last weekend, but there remains formalities still to be completed. The Dundee game will definitely be my last match."

A Bizarre Experience

"This has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It resembles a part of your life that makes you wonder 'did that actually occur?' Am I happy to have taken it on? Most certainly."

Should the Hoops beat their opponents and Hearts see off Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could potentially take Celtic to the top of the Premiership with a victory in his opening fixture in charge.

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

This self-belief is a result of the interim manager's results on the field over the past five weeks, a period where he lost only once – a three-one loss away to the Danish side during Europa League.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager and his players then bounced back to achieve a first victory on the road on the continent since way back in 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated to Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a difficult match – a couple of weeks before they mauled Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To travel to De Kuip and secure a victory away from home was fantastic. We have given ourselves an opportunity, with three matches remaining to attempt qualification, however, the victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Thoughts on the Future

When asked for his thoughts on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to consideration on if he would like to carry on managing going forward.

"I honestly don't know," he said. "I'll take a moment to reflect about things after the match on Wednesday."

"It was challenging," he added. "I felt the fear of failing – that is always a major worry. I used to boast I could do this job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I've learned a lot. I've got some great young coaches alongside me and it has served as a refresh for me in many ways, working with young players every day."

Consultancy Role?

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

"That decision is solely for the new boss to make," O'Neill stated. "He should be allowed his own space. If he wants my advice on things, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that is okay at all. It becomes his team the minute he steps into the role."

TalkSport host the interviewer ended the interview if O'Neill if he would be emotional when the full-time whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Are you asking am I going to cry?" O'Neill responded. "Please don't be silly."