Martin O’Neill has confirmed he is more than willing to help incoming Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy settle into the job, but only if he’s asked.
There has been a lot of talk, with no substance, of a move upstairs for the current manager, but that isn’t on his current agenda.
With O’Neill set to take charge of his final match on Wednesday before the Frenchman arrives, the interim boss was asked what the handover process will look like and whether he expects to give guidance on the current squad.
O’Neill made it clear that he won’t impose himself on Nancy, but his door will be open.
He said: “Well, that’s a very good point. I have no objection to him coming in and asking me my opinion, and it will be an opinion, it won’t be advice of what I have seen in the last number of weeks.
“And if he chooses to ask me, I would have no problem with it. I certainly wouldn’t be putting any demands on him. You know, he’s got a job on now.
“He will be focussing on himself and his own particular staff and his own manner of coaching and his own personality. So all of those things, he won’t need my help in that sense. But if he was looking for an opinion, I’ve got no problem giving him.” [Celtic TV]
It’s a typically respectful stance from O’Neill, who has repeatedly stressed that Nancy deserves a clean slate and the freedom to build the team his own way.
After steadying the ship, winning key league games and securing a Europa League victory in Rotterdam, O’Neill is now preparing to hand over a squad with momentum, and he’s ready to offer insight if the new manager wants a sounding board.
Nancy’s announcement is due imminently.
He arrived in Glasgow on Tuesday night, with all of the paperwork and visas finally sorted out. It will mean that the first match he has in the dugout will come against Hearts on Sunday.
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