GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 16: Peter Lawwell, Chairman of Celtic, Dermot Desmond, Non-Executive Director of Celtic, and Michael Nicholson, CEO of Celtic, are seen in attendance prior to the William Hill Premiership match between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Celtic Park on March 16, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Speculation among Celtic fans is rife over who will become the next manager.
It seems that some supporters are expecting a big hitter to arrive with EPL experience stamped on his CV. Forget it, not happening.
Right now it is fairly safe to assume that talks are on going to finalise the departure of Martin O’Neill.
Only the timing and way of words should remain to be concluded.
If Celtic won’t accommodate this they will face a massive backlash from supporters.
The club has squeezed everything possible out of the 74-year-old Irishman. He delivered a title last season despite the club deciding on a course of self destruction.
That was as good as it gets. Only Michael Nicholson knows why O’Neill was given another contract, 12 months with another 12 month option.
WHO SUCCEEDS O’NEILL AT CELTIC?
Kieran McKenna seems the popular choice among Celtic fans. Young, Irish and on the rise he seems one step behind the O’Neill of 2000 that arrived at Celtic from Leicester.
Eddie Howe and Thomas Frank are also getting mentioned.
None of those names will go anywhere near the job of managing Celtic. You can add Arne Slot to that list.
All four of those managers can reasonably expect to be offered an EPL job in the next 12 months.
Salaries start at £6m. And you get to join a functional club where the CEO and a Director of Football know their jobs. They have earned their job based on ability rather than surname or being out promoted internally.
Should an approach be made to McKenna, Howe, Frank or Slot they all have the same reference point.
Brendan Rodgers, manager of Celtic until 27 October 2025.
He delivered 11 domestic trophies out of 13 and a place in the Round of 16 Play Off for the Champions League.
As reward Rodgers was undermined and briefed against from Celtic insiders.
Then to top it off when he was forced into resigning we had the character assassination published on the club website.
Dermot Desmond told fans:
We met with Brendan regularly, including in December last year and at the start of the summer, with regular dialogue in between, to discuss and agree our collective strategy, priorities, and approach. Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.
His later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue. At no point prior to those remarks had he raised any such concerns with me, Michael, or any member of the Board or executive team. In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process — including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.
When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative.
Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the Board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable.
Every member of the Board and executive team is deeply passionate about Celtic and acts at all times with professionalism, integrity, and a shared desire for success. What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others.
Absolutely. One individual. And 11 months later we all know exactly who that ‘one individual’ is.
The damage done by that statement will linger long in management circles.
Anyone discussing the job will look at how O’Neill was supported to qualify for the Champions League.
And they will also put in a call to Brendan Rodgers to have the real state of play at Celtic confirmed.
With that interest ends for Howe, Frank, McKenna and Slot.
Leaving Scott Brown, Steve Clarke and Neil Lennon eyeing up an unexpected opportunity.
I hope to god it’s not broonie,or Clarke or Lennon,that is massive step backwards, there must be some good young European coaches out there somewhere.