It would be safe to say that most people did not expect Martin O'Neill to remain the Celtic interim manager for as long as he has. This weekend's game against Hibernian was widely expected to be his last, but now, in another twist in the tale, it looks like he might have to carry on at Parkhead, as there is another delay in the Wilfried Nancy appointment.
One has to wonder what all these delays are about. Columbus Crew's season is over and Nancy should not have any obstacles in his way, if Celtic were able to find an agreement.
Are Celtic allowing the deal to drag on once again by trying to bring down the compensation fee as much as possible? That would not be a surprise if it was the case to be very honest.
How does O'Neill feel about still being in the Parkhead hot seat though? It looks like we have some insight into the matter and it is an intriguing one. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, Graham Spiers said on his Press Box podcast:
"I think Martin has become a little more excited and a little more intrigued by this project with every passing day and every passing week.
“However, he did say to me on the phone the other night after Denmark that he was knackered.
“He said, ‘I’m knackered,’ and no wonder. But if I were Dermot Desmond, that’s exactly what I’d be tempted to say."
Martin O'Neill insider reveals how he really feels about Celtic job
That is exactly how you would expect it to be. O'Neill is 73 years of age and had been out of full-time management since 2019.
So, taking on the Celtic job was always going to be a tough task for him. It is one of the most high-pressure posts in the world of football, where the expectation is to win pretty much every game that your team takes part in.
And to be fair, O'Neill has almost achieved that objective. Celtic have won six of the seven games in which he has been in interim charge of the side. And one has to wonder how many more matches he will be in the dugout for.