Martin O'Neill plans quick Celtic return as he regrets breaking habit of lifetime

It was she who warned him against coming back. “You’ll only make a mess of it,” she cautioned. In actual fact her husband has breathed new life into Celtic’s season.

From trailing Hearts by eight points when he arrived, Celtic now go into this weekend’s clash against the Tynecastle side level at the top. Only the matter of goal difference keeps Hearts ahead, although they have played a game more.

O’Neill will watch that game from afar to allow Wilfried Nancy some space and time to begin his own chapter at Celtic. The Frenchman’s long-awaited arrival was confirmed 50 minutes before kick-off against Dundee. The hosts posted a narrow victory over Steven Pressley’s dogged side thanks to Daizen Maeda’s early header. They did, though, lose left back Marcelo Saracchi near the end of the first half to what looked like a hamstring injury.

Kieran Tierney now looks set for a long spell in the side if he can steer clear of injury. Saracchi seems certain to miss the League Cup final v St Mirren later this month. O’Neill is aiming to return north of the Border to watch that game at Hampden.

Asked what’s next for him now, he replied: “Barcelona?!” Seven wins from eight matches in charge certainly suggests he has lost little of the old magic. “I genuinely don't know. I'll watch from a distance now,” he added. “I hope to... I'd like to go to the League Cup final and watch that there.”

Midtjylland will be wife’s topic of conversation

Whether Geraldine joins him who can say? But she was present to see what is surely O’Neill’s last match in charge of Celtic. He left the club first timer around to care for her during a period of illness. “My wife came to the game tonight,” he said. “And so I'm just going to remonstrate with her because I don't think I made a mess of it. She thought I did. Or she thought I would do. And interestingly, I know when I do talk to her, she'll talk about the Midtjylland game (O’Neill’s sole defeat). She will do. It's the way it is.”

On the pitch earlier he had consented to a short interview in front of the fans. He told them he had had “the time of my life”. Now 73, he could not have hoped for things to have gone much better. As well as pulling back Hearts’ eight-point lead, he led Celtic to a memorable win over Feyenoord in Holland.

He met with reporters after the short on-field now genuinely claimed he had no idea what the Hearts score had been. Informed that a late equaliser from Kilmarnock had deprived them of a win, he replied: “Honestly? It just shows you. I am not going to add anymore…” He later conceded that leaving Celtic level with Hearts on points was better than he could have hoped for. "Just to cut the gap at all would have been decent," he said.

He paid tribute to the players, even those, he said, who hadn’t been given many minutes under him, such as Paulo Bernardo. Others, like captain Callum McGregor and ‘keeper Kasper Schmeichel, have played almost every minute.

He revealed that he hasn’t yet spoken to Nancy, who is expected to be unveiled on Friday. But he stressed he would always be available for any advice about the players, if required.

O’Neill broke the habit of a lifetime by allowing cameras into the dressing room afterwards although said he instantly regretted it. “I have no idea why I did it,” he admitted. He delivered a short speech to the players, which he hoped would not be seen again.

Asked if he would take any souvenirs away with him, he replied: “Do you know what? I'm going to take this tracksuit.” He has certainly worn it well.