Robbie Keane would be the ideal managerial appointment for Celtic | OneFootball

Celtic will head into the summer with one major question to answer – who will replace interim manager Martin O’Neill in the Parkhead hotseat?

Robbie Keane is the bookmakers’ favourite to be appointed after guiding Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros to league titles over the past couple of years.

For bettors who enjoy the potential rewards on offer from playing free slots, odds of 13/8 for Keane to take charge this summer may seem a little skinny. However, a strong argument can be made for suggesting that Celtic would hit the jackpot if they appoint the former Republic of Ireland star as their new manager.

Robbie Keane’s track record should not be underestimated

Celtic fans are divided about the possibility of Keane becoming the new Celtic manager, with some suggesting that he has not got enough experience for the role. It is worth noting that similar comments were made before Ange Postecoglou was appointed, yet he proved to be a roaring success in Scottish football.

New manager Ange Postecoglou poses for a photo at Celtic Park Glasgow. Photo Jeff Holmes

Fans who look down their nose at Keane’s successes in Israel and Hungary undoubtedly do a disservice to those respective leagues. In addition to winning the league title with Maccabi Tel Aviv in his first season, Keane also guided the team to the round of 16 in the Europa Conference League. The Irishman subsequently secured another championship with Ferencvaros and guided them to the knockout stage of the Europa League.

The Hungarian giants are in contention for the league title again this season and also enjoyed another productive run in the Europa League, reaching the round of 16. Those achievements should not be sniffed at – a point hammered home by Keane when he was recently asked about replacing O’Neill at Celtic.

Celtic Glasgow vs St. Johnstone FC – Scottish Premier League, Celtic Park 20th March 2010 Robbie Keane (Celtic) – Photo imago Color Sports

“I have ambitions, and everyone wants to get to the highest possible level they can,” Keane told Nicky Byrne HQ. “I’m very lucky that I’m at a top club in Ferencvaros.”

“Of course, there are other bigger clubs, we all know that. Ferencvaros is a top team in Europe, and that’s why I went there. I am at a high level in terms of what I am doing and what we achieved in the Europa League.

“I am already at a big club, but if I don’t have ambitions to go to the highest level, I might as well stop. If I don’t believe I can get to the top, there’s no point being a manager. Don’t always think that, ‘you are happy to stay here’, even though you could stay for twenty years.

September 25th, 2018, Cork, Ireland – Robbie Keane leaving the tunnel to warm up on the Pairc Ui Chaoimh pitch, for the Liam Miller Tribute match between Ireland and Celtic XI vs Manchester United XI. Photo IMAGO / Depositphotos

“Always think you can reach even higher, because that drives you on – that makes you a better manager. I always have to believe I can go to the very top and win a lot of trophies. If I don’t, I won’t do it.”

Martin O’Neill’s backing for Keane speaks volumes

Martin O’Neill has an in-depth understanding about what it takes to be successful at Celtic, so his views on Keane’s prospects of getting the job should carry plenty of weight. The 74-year-old admitted that he wouldn’t have identified Keane as potential management material when he played under him for Ireland, but says his recent achievements are noteworthy.

Keane has not been handed an easy route into management. He started his coaching career with assistant roles at Middlesbrough and Leeds United before moving to Israel. His work there and in Hungary demonstrate that he is capable of working in pressure-cooker environments – a factor that would stand him in good stead in the Scottish Premiership.

O’Neill believes that Keane has earned the right to be taken seriously as a contender for the job and would have no objections if he was appointed.

“The football club should be looking at someone of that sort of calibre,” Martin O’Neill said as reported by The Celtic Star. “I worked with Robbie for a couple of years when I was the Republic of Ireland manager. We could have done with him when he was 26 or 27, rather than the latter part of his career.

“Did he strike me as a future manager? That’s always hard to say. When I was a player at Nottingham Forest, for example, I am not sure I thought of management all that much.

“I don’t know enough about Robbie as a person to say how he would manage a group of people in a dressing room, but he’s made a fair fist of it so far.”

Robbie Keane, Head Coach of Ferencvarosi TC, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Nottingham Forest FC and Ferencvarosi TC at City Ground on January 29, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Given what Martin O’Neill has achieved at Celtic over the decades, the club would be well-advised to heed his endorsement of Keane to replace him.

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