Martin O’Neill assures that Wilfried Nancy will have a clean slate as he steps into the role of Celtic manager, unaffected by the current off-field turmoil surrounding the team.

Nancy is in the final stages of negotiations with Celtic, and the 48-year-old French coach is expected to be officially announced as manager early next week.

Celtic is set to face Feyenoord in Rotterdam on Thursday night for a Europa League match, followed by a game against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday.

O’Neill will oversee these two games as interim manager before handing over the reins to Nancy, who previously managed Columbus Crew.

Despite being relatively inexperienced, Nancy faces a challenging environment as many Celtic fans have been openly protesting against the board throughout the season.

Wilfried Nancy, above, will ‘divorce’ himself from chaos at Parkhead, predicts Martin O’Neill

Martin O’Neill is expected to take charge of Feyenoord and Hibs games before handing the reins to Nancy

Protesting Celtic fans have turned the air toxic at games home and away this season

Last week’s chaotic AGM, which had to be called off, highlighted the tension, but O’Neill is confident that Nancy can overcome these challenges and make the most of his new beginning.

‘I think that the new manager coming in, I think that he should divorce himself from all those proceedings,’ said the 73-year-old veteran, who took the reins after the departure of Brendan Rodgers.

‘This is a fresh start for him. He hasn’t been party to anything that’s happened in recent times.

‘So just let’s say it was me and I’d never manage the football club again, I’d be saying: “Yeah, that’s got nothing to do with me”.

‘I would be saying: “I have to try and win some football games”.

‘Then maybe, if we can get a real team together that can go and compete, not just domestically, but obviously in European football. Well, that would be his job.

‘He’s got a fresh start. He’s going into something that really has been none of his concern. And that’s the way I would be approaching it.

Celtic fans continued their protests against the board during Saturday’s win over St Mirren

Wilfried Nancy has been advised to ignore the toxic atmosphere at Parkhead

‘It’s not like passing the buck. It’s just saying, well, sorry, that’s not my making. My making now is to put Celtic back in the game.’

Asked whether the toxicity around the club could start having an impact on the team, O’Neill said: ‘I actually think you make a really decent point about that.

‘I’m hoping, and since I’m only here for the short period of time, it’s just about ignoring anything that’d be happening elsewhere.

‘Hopefully, if we score a goal, there’ll be a crowd cheering for that. That’s the case.

‘But in a longer-term basis, I think you might have a point. And the sooner that this unity comes back to Celtic, the better.

‘I don’t see that [players being affected] at this minute. But if this was a continuation for a long, long time or something like this, it might be a different issue.’

There has been some suggestion that O’Neill could be retained in some kind of role upstairs on the club’s board.

Whether that be as a director or in some kind of strategic role, it’s something that he does not completely rule out.

Asked if there was any chance of him staying on, he replied: ‘I genuinely don’t know.

Wilfried Nancy celebrates winning the MLS Cup with Columbus Crew in 2023

‘Of course, if they asked me, would I be a director of football? I know from the past that’s the best role in football now because you can blame the manager for the bad results!

‘That’s what I’d like to do – to step in and become the director of football and then being the manager for every bad result.

‘And if a good player comes up, I take the credit for it, which is brilliant. No, in all seriousness, I genuinely don’t know.

‘I would imagine my time here would be, again, short or sweet. But I don’t know.

‘Listen, in a perverse sort of way, I actually have enjoyed it, I must admit. Could I really do the job again week in, week out, week in, week out, for months on end? I really don’t know.

‘Do I have energy and enthusiasm? Yeah, I have those. Is that enough? Not so sure, you know.

‘I’ve got all of those particular things. Do I have knowledge of the game? Of course, yeah, I think I have. But in the end, I really don’t know.’