Exclusive: Celtic have decided on the next manager after Wilfried Nancy, full plan revealed
Celtic are planning to appoint Martin O’Neill as manager for the rest of the season if they are forced into sacking Wilfried Nancy, sources have told Football Insider.
The Northern Irishman recently ended a successful eight-match spell in interim charge before making way for the Frenchman, 48.
But the appointment has proved to be disastrous and, as revealed by Football Insider on Saturday, Nancy is expected to be sacked if Celtic do not win their next two matches.
Sources say that Nancy is set to oversee Sunday’s home league match against Aberdeen as well as the trip to Livingston next Saturday. But he will not survive beyond those two fixtures if Celtic do not win both games.
That would pave the way for the return of the immensely popular O’Neill, who has made no secret of his desire to take over the Glasgow giants again.
The return of the Northern Irishman would restore some order at the club, where fans are in mutiny against the board and ownership even more than Nancy and the players.
Wilfried Nancy endures nightmare two weeks
Celtic hired Nancy just over two weeks ago, with the former MLS Coach of the Year winner signing a two-and-a-half-year contract at Celtic Park.
But the Frenchman lost two games within days of his appointment, falling short in clashes against Hearts and Roma.
Celtic’s 3-1 loss to St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final last week, in the eyes of many fans, was enough to call for Nancy to be sacked already.
And defeat against Dundee United on Wednesday has only further intensified those arguments.
Celtic will play Aberdeen at Celtic Park on Sunday, with Nancy set to face an uncertain reception from the home fans.
Martin O’Neill has already given his answer on Celtic links
O’Neill took over on an interim basis after Brendan Rodgers had resigned as Celtic boss in October.
The 73-year-old steadied the ship, winning both of his opening fixtures against Falkirk and Rangers, before leading his side on a run of five consecutive victories before his departure.
“Only if asked,” said O’Neill last week when asked by talkSPORT if he would have stayed on. “That was not a driving force. I’d happily have stayed on.
“If they had asked me to stay on, I would’ve done so, but the minute that they said, ‘no, that’s your time’, that’s fine by me.”
The Northern Irishman will be waiting by his phone once more, should Celtic fail to win their next two games.