MARTIN O’NEILL expects to say his final farewell to the Celtic fans after the champions’ Premiership encounter against Dundee at Parkhead tomorrow night.
It will be the 73-year-old Irishman’s eighth game in charge during his interim period which has seen the former Hoops gaffer win six of his previous outings.
O’Neill also anticipates moving aside to allow Frenchman Wilfried Nancy and his entourage to move in to take control for the visit of Hearts in a top of the table encounter in the east end of Glasgow on Sunday afternoon.
Mind you, the veteran coach also believed he would be making his swansong against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday until he received a call to tell him to be on stand-by for tomorrow night.
Would anyone be unduly surprised to see O’Neill patrolling the Celtic Park touchline against Derek McInnes’ visitors at the weekend?
JUST CAPITAL…Martin O’Neill acknowledges the Celtic fans after the 2-1 win at Easter Road.
The delays have piled up as the Celtic supporters await their first glimpse of Brendan Rodgers’ long-term successor.
The appointment will be announced at 8am on the stock exchange before the knowledge is widespread, so the club’s followers will have to exercise patience over this protracted situation.
Before the fans become overly-concerned, it’s worth noting the protocols and paperwork that will confront Nancy and his Columbus Crew backroom staff before they are allowed to take up residence in this country.
There is also a fee involved with the head coach still under contract to the MLS outfit and a figure around the £2million mark has already been mentioned.
Presumably, details such as wages and length of contract have already been thrashed out with Nancy and Co to leave the way open for progress.
Just last weekend, O’Neill, as reported in CQN, believed the final whistle was about to be blown on his dramatic return as he admitted: “I thought this was my farewell. I genuinely thought it was.
“I got a call to say there’s still a little bit more paperwork to be done and it looks as if I’ll see it through to Wednesday night.”
IN WITH A SHOUT…Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy.
O’Neill will indeed be in the dug-out for the visit of the Dens Park side who remarkably overcame the Hoops 2-0 on Tayside in October in Rodgers’ second last league match as the club’s manager.
According to London Law Firm Quastels, who specialise in legal advice to top-of-the-range clients, Nancy must secure an International Sportsperson Visa, assuming the category fits his managerial role.
This visa is designed for elite sports professionals who are internationally recognised and can significantly contribute to their sport’s development at the highest level in the UK.
To obtain this, Nancy requires a Governing Body Endorsement from the Scottish FA and a Certificate of Sponsorship from Celtic. He must also demonstrate his significant achievements and potential impact on UK football.
The 48-year-old coach has been in charge of the Ohio-based club since 2022, following his spell at CF Montreal. To date, he has won two major honours at Crew, the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024.
There are other red tape hurdles for Nancy and his staff to clear before the appointment is rubber-stamped.
While the machinations grind slowly in the background, fans’ favourite O’Neill continues to focus on the here and now and is determined to guide the champions to three points against Dundee which would be his fifth successive league victory after wins over Falkirk (4-0), Kilmarnock (4-0), St Mirren (1-0) and Hibs (2-1).
The Irishman has told us it is his last hurrah during his interim period.
Or is it?
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