Celtic coach linked with Championship managerial vacancy

Darren O’Dea is reported to be a contender for the manager’s job at Raith Rovers.

Last season Ian Murray led the Fifers into the Premiership Play Off but one match into the 24/25 season he became the first managerial casualty of the new season.

O’Dea is currently the Professional Pathway Manager at Celtic with the difficult task of placing Academy prospects on loan in the senior ranks to accelerate their development.

The Sun reports:

DARREN O’DEA is wanted by Raith Rovers as their new boss.

The Irishman recently took on a role as Celtic’s new professional player pathway manager.

But O’Dea, 37, has admirers at Raith as they step up the hunt for Ian Murray’s replacement.

He earned plenty of plaudits for his work as Celtic’s B team coach, before his backroom promotion.

Raith chief Andy Barrowman revealed they have compiled a shortlist of candidates to replace Murray, who was sacked after just one game of the Championship season.

Tam Courts, Kevin Thomson and Rhys McCabe have also been linked with the Stark’s Park job, but O’Dea has emerged as a possible contender.

Last season O’Dea was linked with the Inverness Caley Thistle job which eventually went to Duncan Ferguson after Billy Dodds had been sacked.

His current job at Celtic takes him away from the training ground with an emphasis on developing contacts with other clubs to assist the development of younger players.

After their treatment of Murray it would be a risk to for O’Dea to take charge of Raith Rovers but if he has ambitions to manage the Championship is a decent level to start out at.