CELTIC ARE ALREADY WELL UNDERWAY IN THEIR HUNT FOR A NEW MANAGER FOLLOWING BRENDAN RODGERS’ SHOCK DEPARTURE ON MONDAY EVENING. SUPPORTERS WERE LEFT FUMING AFTER THE SIDE’S 3-1 LOSS TO HEARTS, BUT THE NORTHERN IRISHMAN’S RESIGNATION STILL CAME AS A HUGE SURPRISE.
MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER DERMOT DESMOND RELEASED A STRONG STATEMENT AFTER RODGERS’ EXIT, CLAIMING THAT THE FORMER MANAGER’S BEHAVIOUR “CONTRIBUTED TO A TOXIC ATMOSPHERE AROUND THE CLUB” AND DESCRIBED HIS COMMENTS AS “DIVISIVE, MISLEADING, AND SELF-SERVING.”
FOLLOWING A COMMANDING 4-0 VICTORY OVER FALKIRK ON WEDNESDAY EVENING UNDER CARETAKER BOSS MARTIN O’NEILL, CELTIC HAVE CLOSED HEARTS’ EIGHT-POINT GAP TO JUST SIX AND NOW TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO A MASSIVE LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL AGAINST RANGERS THIS SUNDAY.
BUT DESPITE THE BUZZ OF ON-FIELD ACTION, ALL EYES REMAIN FIRMLY FIXED ON WHO WILL TAKE THE HOT SEAT AT PARKHEAD NEXT.
TIMELINE REVEALED – “SLIP OF THE TONGUE”
CARETAKER MANAGER MARTIN O’NEILL HAS OPENLY ADMITTED THAT HIS HINT AT STAYING LONGER THAN EXPECTED WAS SIMPLY A “SLIP OF THE TONGUE.” THE 73-YEAR-OLD CONFIRMED THAT CELTIC ARE MOVING QUICKLY TO APPOINT A NEW PERMANENT MANAGER AND THAT HIS OWN ROLE WILL REMAIN TEMPORARY.
SPEAKING AFTER THE MIDWEEK WIN, O’NEILL PRAISED STRIKER JOHNNY KENNY’S PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING HIS DOUBLE AGAINST FALKIRK, SAYING:
“THAT DEFINITELY HELPS. HE’S A YOUNG LAD, LEARNING HIS TRADE, AND HOPEFULLY FOR WHATEVER SPELL I’M HERE—LONG OR SHORT—HE CAN PICK UP SOME GOOD HABITS.”
WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING LONGER, O’NEILL QUICKLY SHUT DOWN THE SPECULATION:
“NO, NO, IT WAS A SLIP OF THE TONGUE. THIS IS DEFINITELY INTERIM. THEY COULD HAVE A MANAGER IN TWO WEEKS’ TIME. IF WE HAD LOST ON WEDNESDAY, THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD ONE BY THURSDAY.”
HE ALSO HINTED AT THE TYPE OF MANAGER CELTIC ARE PURSUING:
“CELTIC WILL BE LOOKING FOR A YOUNG MANAGER TO COME IN WITH A VERY, VERY DECENT CV.”
ORIGINAL PLAN IN TATTERS
RODGERS’ SHOCK DEPARTURE HAS DISRUPTED CELTIC’S LONG-TERM PLAN TO APPROACH CURRENT WALES BOSS CRAIG BELLAMY NEXT SUMMER.
REPORTS FROM TALKSPORT CLAIM THAT THE HOOPS WERE PREPARING TO MAKE A MOVE FOR THE FORMER CELTIC STRIKER ONCE HIS COMMITMENTS WITH THE WELSH NATIONAL TEAM HAD CONCLUDED.
BELLAMY, WHO HAS IMPRESSED SINCE TAKING CHARGE OF WALES, REMAINS UNBEATEN IN HIS FIRST NINE GAMES—A RUN THAT INCLUDES WINS OVER TURKEY, ICELAND, AND MONTENEGRO. HOWEVER, WITH WALES STILL DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN, IT’S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE 46-YEAR-OLD WILL WALK AWAY MIDWAY THROUGH.
OTHER CONTENDERS EMERGE
CELTIC’S SHORTLIST IS UNDERSTOOD TO INCLUDE KIERAN MCKENNA, ROBBIE KEANE, KJETIL KNUTSEN, AND NICKY HAYEN, EACH BRINGING A DIFFERENT STYLE AND PHILOSOPHY THAT COULD SUIT THE PARKHEAD PROJECT.
MCKENNA, CURRENTLY AT IPSWICH TOWN, HAS BUILT A REPUTATION FOR ATTRACTIVE, ATTACKING FOOTBALL AND COULD BE AN INTRIGUING CHOICE IF CELTIC DECIDE TO TAKE A MODERN, DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH.
ROBBIE KEANE’S PASSION AND CONNECTION TO THE CLUB COULD APPEAL TO SUPPORTERS WHO WANT TO SEE A MANAGER THAT “GETS” CELTIC’S CULTURE AND EXPECTATIONS.
NORWEGIAN COACH KJETIL KNUTSEN, MEANWHILE, HAS DRAWN WIDESPREAD PRAISE FOR HIS WORK WITH BODO/GLIMT, WHERE HIS TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT HAVE TURNED HEADS ACROSS EUROPE.
POSTECOGLOU LINK SHUT DOWN
THERE WERE ALSO WHISPERS OF A SENSATIONAL RETURN FOR ANGE POSTECOGLOU, WHO WON FIVE MAJOR TROPHIES INCLUDING A DOMESTIC TREBLE DURING HIS TIME AT CELTIC. HOWEVER, SKY SPORTS NEWS NOW REPORTS THAT SUCH A MOVE IS “HIGHLY IMPROBABLE,” WITH THE AUSTRALIAN FOCUSED ON HIS CURRENT PREMIER LEAGUE PROJECT.
WHAT NEXT FOR CELTIC?
WITH MARTIN O’NEILL HOLDING THE FORT AND CELTIC REGAINING SOME FORM, THE CLUB’S BOARDROOM IS RACING AGAINST TIME TO IDENTIFY THE RIGHT SUCCESSOR BEFORE THE CRUCIAL WINTER PERIOD. THE FIXTURE AGAINST RANGERS COULD SET THE TONE FOR WHAT’S TO COME—A NEW ERA, OR A CONTINUATION OF UNCERTAINTY.
ONE THING IS CERTAIN: THE NEXT APPOINTMENT MUST BE SPOT-ON. CELTIC CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER FALSE START AS THEY AIM TO CLIMB BACK.
