44-Year-Old Manager Breaks Silence On Celtic Links: Could Parkhead Have Chosen Askou Over O’Neill? | OneFootball

Jens Berthel Askou has left questions hanging over Celtic after refusing to say whether the club contacted him about the manager’s job last season.

The Danish coach became a bookmaker pick after a campaign at Motherwell, where he established an identity and guided the Steelmen to fourth in the Premiership and European football. Praise followed, while uncertainty around Martin O’Neill kept Askou in the conversation.

Celtic retained O’Neill, and Askou accepted a move in France, moving to Ligue 1 side Toulouse five days later. Motherwell confirmed Toulouse had approached him and paid compensation.

Speaking on Open Goal with Paul Slane and Andy Halliday, Askou faced it. Halliday asked whether Celtic had approached him.

Askou declined to confirm or deny it. He said he would let people speculate and stressed that he was happy with his decision to join Toulouse. Celtic Shorts journalist Conor Spence reported the exchange on September 9.

During an appearance on Open Goal alongside Paul Slane and former Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday, the latter said: “If I can just let you in on a little secret… I was crying for the last two to three months of the season, because I thought you were going to be the next Celtic manager.”

Slane added: “I was crying because you never took it!”

Halliday continued: “I just want to say, thanks for picking Toulouse!

“But that was a really strong rumour in Scotland for a long period of time.

“Was there ever any approach from your point of view, or were you quite settled in broadening your horizons, seeing what the options were and ultimately choosing a beautiful city like Toulouse?”

Askou refused to be drawn on whether Celtic had made contact, replying: “I don’t want to talk about what other opportunities might have been. I’ll let people speculate about that.

“I’m here now, and I’m very happy about that. I feel that that’s a very good decision I’ve made to be here, and I’m extremely excited now.”

Celtic could have offered a modern tactical project

Askou’s appeal went beyond results. At Motherwell, he built a possession-heavy side that started attacks from deep, used positional rotations and pressed aggressively after losing the ball. That demanded technical quality and discipline, yet Motherwell reached fourth place and Europe with fewer resources than Celtic.

A move to Celtic would have offered a much larger platform, while his ideas could have suited a club looking to develop younger technical players and create a clear footballing identity. His approach has similarities to Ange Postecoglou’s, especially through possession, fluid movement, front-foot pressing and territorial control. Askou could have built an attractive modern side, although his experience at the highest level of European football remained limited.

Could Celtic have chosen Askou over O’Neill?

MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND – MAY 13: Jens Berthel Askou, Manager of Motherwell, looks on prior to the William Hill Premiership match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on May 13, 2026 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

That choice would have depended on Celtic’s priority. O’Neill brings elite man-management, major experience and a proven record of delivering immediate domestic success. He understands pressure, trophy races and the need to win when performances lack polish. That counts heavily for a club judged by silverware.

Askou represented a longer-term bet. He could have offered a progressive structure, stronger player development and greater stylistic continuity between domestic football and Europe. Yet Celtic needed certainty after a difficult period, and O’Neill was less risky.

The unanswered question remains genuinely interesting to Celtic fans, but Askou’s move to Toulouse makes sense. He chose a technically demanding Ligue 1 challenge, while Celtic backed experience and immediate security. Had the priorities been different, the 44-year-old might have been a very interesting appointment for the Parkhead job, and perhaps a long-term one.