Celtic have spent the international break searching for a new manager and have now found their first choice, who has already received internal approval from Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers’ departure from the Scottish Premiership champions last month caused plenty of drama as the Boys languished eight points behind Heart of Midlothian in the table.
However, manager Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship since taking over as interim manager with three wins from four games, with the highlight being a 3-1 win over Rangers to reach the Premier Sports Cup final.
The 73-year-old former Aston Villa manager has been linked with a long-term stay in Glasgow, and few would argue he doesn’t deserve to be left in charge until the end of the season.
Conversely, O’Neill confirmed he would only remain at the club for as long as required, insisting he would be informed of any developments regarding the Hoops’ managerial search at some point during the international break.
He said after the Bhoys beat Kilmarnock on Sunday. “I have to go back to London again. I’m going to go into a dark room and come out on Thursday and say, ‘Did this really happen?’ So you have to imagine that at some stage next week, whether it’s tomorrow or next Saturday or Sunday, someone will let me know what’s going on.”
Despite the short hiatus from club football, Celtic supporters will be keen to know the latest developments at Parkhead and could be ready to make a move to replace O’Neill.
Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is Celtic’s frontrunner
Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy has become the shock front-runner to succeed Celtic after the Major League Soccer team was eliminated in the play-off stage by Cincinnati, according to the Scottish Sun.
His strongest rival for the post is Bodø/Glimt boss Kjetil Knudsen. However, Nancy’s assistant Kwame Ampadu was a close friend of Hoops recruitment director Paul Tisdale, and the latter supported Nancy in the boardroom, even managing her son Ethan (now at Leeds United).
Wilfried Nancy’s directorial career | |
Columbus Crew – MLS Cup Winner (2023), league cup winners (2024) | |
| |
CF Montreal – Canadian Championship Winner (2021) | |
|
Ampadu Sr. is said to be almost certain to join Nancy at Celtic. Nancy is known for his fiery 3-4-2-1 formation that allows him to attack from anywhere, and has been compared to Ange Postecoglou in the Bhoys’ search for a manager.
Of course, there is still much work to do before a new replacement is appointed, and O’Neill is expected to meet with club executives in the coming days to confirm whether he will remain as manager long-term.
Celtic could sign Premier League winner for £500,000 in January
Either way, exciting days ahead for Celtic supporters as the long-term search could lead to a permanent hire.
