Ex-Premier League manager installed as odds-on favourite to replace Wilfried Nancy amid Celtic sack latest
Wilfried Nancy is feeling the heat at Celtic once again after their midweek defeat to Motherwell.
A pair of victories prior to that defeat had seen the Bhoys close the gap to Hearts at the top of the Premiership table to just three points, and they missed the chance to go level with the leaders in their game in hand on Tuesday night.
Chris Sutton feels that Celtic’s Old Firm Derby against Rangers on Saturday could be pivotal for Nancy, and suggested that he badly needs three points to help quash some of the scrutiny surrounding him.
Celtic fans have quickly made their feelings known towards their new boss, and the pressure on his position is refusing to go away as he begins to settle into the role.
Martin O’Neill heavy favourite to replace Wilfried Nancy
Martin O’Neill steadied the ship at Celtic during his interim tenure after Brendan Rodgers’ departure, and many people wanted to see him take the job on a permanent basis.
The 73-year-old notched seven wins from his eight games in charge of the Glasgow giants, and that helped to bring something of a positive feeling back to Parkhead amid what has been a tumultuous campaign so far.
O’Neill swiftly stepped aside once it became clear that Nancy was set to take over, and that switch could yet occur again in the opposite direction in the coming weeks.
| Manager | Odds |
| Martin O’Neill | 4/5 |
| Gary O’Neil | 3/1 |
| Robbie Keane | 4/1 |
| Shaun Maloney | 5/1 |
| Lee Carsley | 6/1 |
The former Aston Villa and Sunderland boss has been installed as the odds-on favourite to take Nancy’s position if he were to be sacked, with one major bookmaker pricing him at odds of 4/5.
The veteran is currently leading the way from ex-Wolves chief Gary O’Neil and former Celtic hero Robbie Keane, who are priced at odds of 3/1 and 4/1 respectively.
What has Martin O’Neill said about another Celtic return?
O’Neill is a much-loved figure at Celtic, and he played on the heartstrings of almost every supporter when he revealed earlier in December that he would have happily stayed on as manager.
The Northern Irishman was a completely unifying figure during his interim tenure, and he brought the best out of a squad that has desperately struggled to find any sort of consistency in 2025-26.
While O’Neill hasn’t explicitly spoken about the possibility of returning again after his departure, his previous stance certainly suggests that he would be open to it if needed.
The Parkhead hero has been an incredible servant to the club over the years, and he appears to be in the mindset that he will do whatever he can to help, as and when his services are required.