Next Celtic manager: Seven potential candidates - including former players and man close to home
Some of the names in the frame after Nancy’s departure
Celtic are searching for their fourth manager of the season after ending Wilfried Nancy’s nightmare reign after just 33 days in the hotseat.
Currently six points behind Hearts in the Premiership title race, the Celtic hierarchy do not have much room for manoeuvre with their next appointment - be it permanent or temporary. They have already had three men in charge of the first team this season.
We take a look at some of the contenders for the job.
Martin O’Neill
The obvious choice for an interim role after leading Celtic to seven victories in eight games after the departure of Brendan Rodgers a couple of months ago. But does the 73-year-old – who won seven trophies with Celtic in the first five years of the century – have the appetite to go again?
Shaun Maloney
Initially cast as a co-caretaker with O’Neill, Maloney largely took a back seat during matches and left media duties to O’Neill, but was heavily involved in the training and coaching duties. Now back doing his job as player pathways manager, the 42-year-old could find himself in charge for the upcoming games as a caretaker boss. Maloney, who started his coaching career with Celtic, was Belgium assistant coach and was sacked as manager of both Hibs and Wigan before returning in June last year. He was a big part as to why Celtic were successful under O’Neill.
Kieran McKenna
The 39-year-old Ipswich manager emerged as a target before Nancy’s arrival and was on the Celtic shortlist back in the summer of 2023 when Ange Postecoglou left for Tottenham Hotspur. The Northern Irishman guided the Suffolk club to consecutive promotions before their relegation from the Premier League last season. McKenna would be difficult and expensive to prise away from Ipswich, who sit third in the Sky Bet Championship, due to a hefty release clause and the Tractor Boys’ desire to keep him at a critical point of the season.
Jens Berthel Askou
The 43-year-old from Denmark has been a revelation since taking over at Motherwell last summer. The Fir Park side play an attractive brand of football and are fourth in the league, just two points behind Celtic - albeit having played a game more. They passed Celtic off the pitch when the two teams met a week ago. He is destined for bigger things, but would a summer move suit so he could get his philosophy across? So much of his good work is down to meticulous preparation in the early weeks of his Motherwell tenure.
Kjetil Knutsen
The 57-year-old Norwegian is technically a free agent but is expected to sign a new contract with the team he has led to four domestic titles and qualification for the Champions League. He has stayed loyal to the club he helped transform and Celtic’s board would probably lack the stability that would likely be needed to convince him to move to Glasgow. Has spurned numerous overtures in the past to remain in his homeland.
Robbie Keane
The former Celtic striker has led both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros to league titles during the early years of his managerial career. When asked about the prospect of a return to Celtic before Ferencvaros’ recent Europa League win over Rangers, the Irishman said: “Never say never, of course, but at the moment I’m very, very happy here.”
Craig Bellamy
Another former Celtic loan striker, Bellamy stressed he was totally committed to leading Wales to the World Cup and that a return to Glasgow was not on his radar after being linked with the job in November. Wales face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the play-offs for the right to take on Italy or Northern Ireland for a World Cup spot in March and any official approach to Bellamy would likely need to come after that at the earliest. It is hard to envision him leaving the Welsh job until the summer at the earliest.
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