Keith Wyness: Martin O’Neill ‘should manage Celtic’ in cup final vs St Mirren
Wilfried Nancy could be set for the worst possible start at Celtic if his appointment as manager is confirmed in the next few days.
That is according to ex-Aberdeen and Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes Martin O’Neill should take charge of Celtic‘s League Cup final clash against St Mirren on December 14th.
O’Neill’s final game in interim charge of Celtic is expected to be against Dundee, before Nancy arrives to take the reins at Parkhead.
Nancy’s arrival at Celtic has been delayed due to work permit issues, whilst O’Neill has closed the gap on league leaders Hearts to just two points during his spell in the dugout.
Celtic told to make ‘sensible’ Wilfried Nancy move
Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – thinks O’Neill should remain as interim boss until the Scottish League Cup final.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness states that Nancy may not make a good first impression on the Celtic support if he was to take charge now.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Martin O’Neill, God bless him, has done a great job as the caretaker and I think actually what Celtic should do is at least let Martin O’Neill stay on until the League Cup final and let him bow out after that game.
“I think that would give the new manager a chance because if the new manager came in and lost the cup final that would be a bad start. So you might as well just either let Martin O’Neill go out with a victory and be the hero or if it’s a loss, then the new manager won’t be affected.
“So to me, that would have been a more sensible view rather than letting him take that as his first game, which I think is a mistake given he doesn’t understand or doesn’t know the SPL and the whole local pressures. Yes, we’ve got Celtic, I think now starting to settle down and I think the O’Neill caretaker position has got them re-stabilized.
“He’s done a great job. And yes, they’re breathing down Hearts neck. So I do expect them to keep going and it will be pretty relentless. But hopefully Hearts have got something a bit more about them and can try and make it close at least.”
Nancy could take charge vs Hearts
O’Neill has won all his league matches in charge of Celtic, with a 2-1 win at Hibs last time out meaning the Hoops could return to the top of the table this week.
Nancy’s first game in charge is expected to be a crucial top of the table clash with Hearts, who have only lost one league game all season.
The Frenchman’s arrival in Glasgow has already been deemed a risk by the Celtic support due to Nancy never having worked in Europe.
Celtic fans are already frustrated at the board, and that could increase if Nancy was to make a bad start.