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Per the words of caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is slated to be leading Celtic for Sunday's Scottish Premiership match against Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been involved in detailed discussions with Parkhead side for almost seven days and now seems poised to wrap up an agreement.

O'Neill has held the role of interim boss for more than four weeks ever since the previous manager stepped down, achieving six wins in seven games, reducing the lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to League Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, a former boss of Celtic between 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he believed the trip to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – would be his final act in his return at the helm.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he will oversee Celtic in the midweek Premiership match with Dundee before Nancy steps into the role.

"He is the man set to be arriving," O'Neill said to the radio station. "I believed it was over on Sunday, but there remains formalities still to be completed. The Dundee game will assuredly be my final game."

An Unusual Period

"It has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a part of your life where you think 'did all of that really happen?' Am I happy to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should Celtic defeat their opponents while Hearts defeat Killie on Wednesday, Nancy could guide his new club to the top of the Premiership if they win in his first match in charge.

"It's a decent start for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A good way to start. It is going to be a difficult game naturally and I wish him all the best. At least he inherits a side with a bit of self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of the interim manager's results in matches in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 loss away to the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the ex- Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players subsequently managed to claim their first victory on the road on the continent since 2021 by defeating the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Restoration of Confidence

"We lost to them," O'Neill recalled. "That proved to be a difficult match – a couple of weeks earlier they defeated Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To go to De Kuip and win on their patch was excellent. We've given the team an opportunity, there are three matches left to attempt qualification, but that Feyenoord game helped restore belief."

Future Ambitions

When asked for his reflections on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to consideration on if he desires to continue in management going forward.

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I will have a little think on everything after the match on Wednesday."

"It was challenging," he continued. "There was a fear of failure – which is an ever-present major worry. I once joked I could do the job just as poorly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned a lot. I have had some great young coaches alongside me and it's been a reinvigoration personally in many ways, working with young players every day."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of whether he will stay at Celtic as an advisor, the former Leicester City, Aston Villa and Ireland boss stated this is completely the decision of Nancy.

"That is solely for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill said. "He should be allowed his own space. If he wants my opinion on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that is perfectly fine either. It becomes his squad the moment he steps into the job."

TalkSport host Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional or sentimental when the final whistle blew on Wednesday.

"Do you mean if I will cry?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be ridiculous."