Celtic's interim manager Martin O'Neill has admitted he has no idea whether he'll still be in charge when the Scottish champions face St Mirren next weekend.
Board Steps Up Managerial Hunt
The 73-year-old Northern Irishman made the revelation amid reports that Celtic's board has ramped up its search for a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who resigned two and a half weeks ago. O'Neill has been holding the fort as caretaker manager for the past four matches but insists he's not involved in the selection process for the new boss.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster in an interview conducted on Thursday and broadcast on Friday morning, O'Neill stated: "The short and honest answer is I genuinely do not know. I am not party to anything that is happening with the board talking to prospective clients and things like this, nor do I want to be because that's never been a remit of mine."
Ready to Step Aside Immediately
The former Celtic manager emphasised his temporary role and willingness to depart whenever the club makes its decision. "My job was to come in and hold the fort, and the minute that someone is appointed, I will step aside," O'Neill explained. "And if it was tomorrow, I would gladly step aside. It's not a problem. It's nothing to do with any sort of ego or anything like that. It's just to help out in the very, very short term."
Reports this week indicate that Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has emerged as the new bookmakers' favourite for the permanent position. The Celtic board has never publicly stated when they intend to have a new manager in place.
Mixed Results During Caretaker Spell
During his four-match tenure assisted by Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham, O'Neill has overseen:
- Two Premiership victories
- A Europa League defeat by Midtjylland
- An extra-time win over 10-man Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final
The cup final against St Mirren takes place on December 14 at Hampden, leading some supporters to hope the veteran manager might remain in charge for the showdown given his successful first spell at the club in the early 2000s.
However, O'Neill dismissed any sentimental considerations, stating: "That really doesn't matter. I am a romantic and have been a romantic all my life. I know the history of football and all of those particular things but that doesn't bother me one jot."
The Celtic board continues its interview process with candidates while O'Neill prepares his squad for their upcoming William Hill Premiership trip to face St Mirren next Saturday evening, uncertain whether he'll still be at the helm.
