Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill joked about hiding Wilfried Nancy’s paperwork after the club’s 2-1 win over Hibernian, as a red-tape hold-up delays the new manager’s appointment
Martin O’Neill humorously suggested that he had concealed the paperwork for incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy after being requested to extend his successful interim tenure for another match.
The 73 year old believed Sunday’s William Hill Premiership journey to Hibernian – which resulted in a 2-1 victory for the revitalised Hoops – would mark the conclusion of his temporary role at Parkhead.
However, O’Neill disclosed prior to the game that he had been asked on Saturday to remain for Wednesday’s Dundee encounter. Frenchman Nancy was scheduled to be announced as Celtic’s new permanent manager on Monday, but the interim boss confirmed there has been a bureaucratic delay with the appointment.
“It’s a wee bit strange, to be honest,” O’Neill chuckled following the hard-won triumph at Easter Road that brought the Hoops within two points of leading team Hearts with a match in hand.
“I was joking that whatever has happened to the paperwork, I have no idea – maybe I’m hiding it!”.
“I only found out on Saturday, I genuinely thought this would be my last game.”
When questioned if Wednesday’s match would definitely be his final one in charge, O’Neill responded: “Yeah. In my mind, absolutely. But in my mind at 8am yesterday morning, it was in my mind that this was my last game.”
If everything proceeds as planned, Nancy’s initial three matches at the helm will now include a top-of-the-table clash with Hearts next Sunday, followed by a home Europa League fixture against Roma and then a Premier Sports Cup final face-off with St Mirren.
“Those are games to look forward to, I must admit,” O’Neill said. “I’ve not spoken to the man, but I’m quite sure he would want to get in here as soon as possible, to get going, and at least on the back of good results, and the team now starting to play with confidence.”
O’Neill’s team secured their fourth consecutive Premiership victory since replacing Brendan Rodgers five weeks ago following first-half strikes from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels within 60 seconds of each other.
Hibs responded with a Martin Boyle spot-kick after the interval and the Hoops were forced to dig deep to secure all three points.
Hibees manager David Gray declined to criticise goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger for his pass to Miguel Chaiwa whilst under pressure from Reo Hatate in the build-up to Maeda’s 27th-minute opening goal.
“It was a gift, but it’s not through them doing something that they’re not being asked to do,” he said. “I take responsibility for that as well because of how we play.
“The frustration probably comes from then giving Celtic a two-goal start, after a real positive start, in my opinion.
“Then in the second half I thought we got a good reaction. Once we got the goal, there was only one team going to go and score the next one, I felt.
“We definitely deserved to get something out of the game, apart from a two-minute period within the game.”
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