Celtic’s successes in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup undoubtedly masked what was a chaotic season when compared to previous campaigns.
Fans who follow Celtic stats, results, fixtures and transfers will now be eager to learn who will be appointed as the club’s manager this summer.
Martin O’Neill did a stellar job as interim boss, but it seems likely that the club will appoint somebody younger for the permanent role. The main contenders are reportedly as follows:
- Robbie Keane – Evens
- Roberto Martinez – 2/1
- Craig Bellamy – 3/1
- Kjetil Knutsen – 6/1
- Thomas Frank – 12/1
- Sean Maloney – 20/1
- Ange Postecoglou – 20/1
- Kieran McKenna – 20/1
- Oliver Glasner – 20/1
- Bar – 25/1
Next Celtic manager- The main contenders
Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane is the bookmakers’ favourite to be appointed by Celtic after he recently quit his job with Hungarian giants Ferencvaros.
Keane previously had a brief spell with Celtic as a player and seems like an ideal fit for the club after winning silverware elsewhere.
Some fans are sceptical about his ability to manage the Hoops, claiming that his record in other countries counts for little. Managing in Israel is the biggest red flag of all.
However, the same accusations were levelled at Ange Postecoglou when he was appointed, but he ultimately silenced the doubters.
Craig Bellamy
Craig Bellamy has been cutting his teeth as Wales manager for the last couple of years, and may now feel he is ready to manage in club football.
He previously served as a first-team coach at Burnley and could relish the opportunity to lead the Scottish Premiership giants into a new era.
Bellamy is renowned for being a prickly character – a factor which could go either way in the cut and thrust of top-flight football in Scotland.
However, there is nothing on Bellamy’s CV that suggests he is the right fit for Celtic at the stage of his managerial career.
Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez has not managed in club football since being sacked by Everton in May 2016, but some Celtic fans would be happy if he was appointed.
Those with longer memories will note that Martinez falls into the category of managers who are ‘one-trick ponies’ – if ‘Plan A’ fails, they don’t have a ‘Plan B’.
His lengthy absence from club football, coupled with repeated failures with Belgium and Portugal in major tournaments, makes Martinez a risky proposition.
Portugal are expected to at least reach the knockout stage at the 2026 World Cup, and Celtic need someone in place before then.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has been touted as a potential option for Celtic, despite his underwhelming spell with Tottenham Hotspur last season.
Frank previously did a solid job at Brentford, where he was helped in no small part by the club’s excellent recruitment strategy.
On paper, Frank appears to be a strong candidate. However, he may well feel that he still has unfinished business in the Premier League.
Celtic need a manager who views the role as a long-term appointment rather than a stepping stone, so would be well-advised to steer clear of Frank.
Damien Duff
Damien Duff previously had a spell at Parkhead, initially coaching the reserve team before working as part of the first-team backroom staff.
He subsequently guided Shelbourne to their first League of Ireland Premier Division title in 18 years and achieved European qualification two seasons in a row.
Duff’s name does not tend to come up in conversations when clubs are looking for managers, yet he could be a sensible choice to replace O’Neill.
While the former Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea winger was quite outspoken during his time in Ireland, he is renowned for having a winning mentality. Duff has none of Keane’s ‘baggage.
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