Under the bonnet with the Robbie Keane to Celtic story

Robbie Keane is a ‘front-runner’ to become manager of Celtic.

There is nothing definite about the report in The Guardian by their golf reporter and full-time Hearts fan, Ewan Murray.

The report also claims that there will be an end of season restructuring on the club. Again without any detail or timeline.

Murray is a close friend of Celtic Communications Manager Iain Jamieson, they share common interests.

By publishing the story in the little read Guardian it can be picked up by other publishers and give the impression that Celtic have a plan after a horrific season led by Michael Nicholson.

Failure to back Brendan Rodgers led to a Champions League play-off exit from Kairat Almaty.

Bearing in mind the squad dismantling over the January and summer transfer window the defeat from Kairat saved the club from humiliation in UEFA’s top tournament.

PUSHING THE KEANE STORY

Nicholson then turned to Wilfried Nancy to lead the club into an exciting new era. The hopeless Frenchman was the number one candidate from the moment his name was mentioned by Paul Tisdale.

Now in a classic deflection story Celtic fans are being offered jam tomorrow with the appointment of a former Maccabi Tel Aviv boss:

In the Guardian Murray reports:

Robbie Keane is the frontrunner to become the next Celtic manager, with the club making background plans to heavily restructure football operations at the end of this season. Keane’s work at Ferencvaros and previously Maccabi Tel Aviv is understood to place him as the prime candidate to succeed Martin O’Neill, whose  second spell as an interim Celtic manager  will end in the summer.

Celtic’s powerbrokers believe Keane could be receptive to moving to Glasgow. There is, however, likely to be competition from other British sides for the Irishman’s services. Keane was linked with another of his former clubs, Tottenham, after the sacking of Thomas Frank but would never have accepted the short-term arrangement taken by Igor Tudor. No formal moves will be made by  Celtic  until the domestic season ends but Keane is the manager firmly in their sights.

Craig Bellamy and Jens Berthel Askou also have admirers at Celtic. Bellamy’s scenario is complicated for now by Wales’s involvement in the World Cup playoffs. Askou has earned huge praise for his work at Motherwell. There is, however, concern among some within the Celtic hierarchy that the leap from Fir Park may be too significant. Celtic will undergo a huge player overhaul this summer and are acutely aware of criticism of their approach to recent transfer windows.

There will be a lot of focus on the reaction of Celtic fans to Keane’s employment in Israel. Part of the plan for the story.

Roberto Martinez has been another named linked with the Celtic job, overlooking his World Cup commitments with Portugal but providing a feel good effect.

CLICK HERE for Robbie Keane Transfermark story.