Ange explains ambitious job swop

Stephen McManus will move back to coaching the Celtic B team following the appointment of Harry Kewell as first team coach. 

When Neil Lennon resigned in February 2021 McManus was promoted up to work with John Kennedy but has now reverted back to the B squad that was coached last season by Tommy McIntyre and Darren O’Dea. 

Kewell will work alongside John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan as Ange Postecoglou makes his first significant change to the backroom staff that he inherited a year ago.  

Explaining the switch, the Celtic boss told the club website: 

I was keen to restructure our coaching set up, a critical part of this was having a close link between the first team and B Team coaching structures – and Stephen’s role will also be hugely important for us as we look to get that conveyer belt of talent going between the B Team, directly up to the first team.   

The B Team will again compete in the Lowland League, something which will be a crucial development opportunity for our young players as they aim to progress and advance further. I wanted a really strong connection to the development of our B Team and Stephen, with his knowledge of our current first-team philosophy and demands will be ideal in this role. 

It is highly ambitious to think that players can bridge the gap from playing in the Lowland League through to the Celtic first team. 

Dane Murray, Owen Moffat, Ben Doak and Joey Dawson all made top team appearances in the first half of last season but once Postecoglou had his January signings on board there was no more playing time for anyone from the B team.