Celtic’s managerial merry-go-round – Speculation never stops | OneFootball

Welcome to the managerial merry-go-round that is Celtic Football Club, where speculation never stops, the smoke never clears, and Dermot Desmond’s already gone all Gerald Ratner (ask your folks kids) on our reputation, and burnt most of the bridges that links Celtic to the small village of football management…

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 Dermot Desmond on the 18th tee during the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 on the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf CLub, Fife, . 06/10/2024. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie

Let’s get the delusion out of the way early. Ange isn’t coming back. Forget it. Not in this lifetime, not even in the surreal dream we all feel we’ve been living over the last few days.

In his mind Dermot plucked him from the footballing hinterlands like some Australian street urchin, fed him a bowl of soup, gave him a warm coat, and watched him swagger off down the M74 two seasons later, whistling “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” out the car window. Bridges burned. Feelings bruised. Dermot’s nose permanently out of joint. Oh well.

Celtic v Club Brugge – UEFA Champions League Nicky Hayen, head coach of Club Brugge pictured during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Club Brugge on November 26, 2024. Photo Peter De Voecht

In Brugge, Nicky ‘the flirt’ Hayen’s playing the “I’m happy here” card, the classic line from every manager secretly texting his agent under the press conference table.

“I don’t know which lists I’m on,” he said while (probably) batting his eyelashes. Translation. ‘I absolutely know which lists I’m on, and I’ve already Googled property prices in Bearsden.’ Rental prices of course.

Still, he’s clearly a smart cookie. Keep the door ajar, keep the fans onside, and never say never. It’s professional. It’s polite. It’s absolutely foreplay.

The bookies loved him early, but Kieran McKenna doesn’t want this job, he just doesn’t want to not be linked with it. There’s a big difference.

Kieran McKenna, Manager of Ipswich Town, applauds the fans following the Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Brentford FC at Portman Road on May 10, 2025. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

He’s doing the old politician sidestep, keep quiet, smile for Sky Sports, and hope Dermot doesn’t corner him on the back nine at Sunningdale, before Man Utd punt Amorim and he can head back to the top table.

£5 million compensation or not, this delicate flower is not swapping Ipswich’s safety for Glasgow’s madness. Not unless he’s got a taste for chaos, and by all accounts, he really doesn’t, at least not for the wages we’ll pay.

Then we have Craig. Ah, Bellamy. Chaos suits. Mad as a box of frogs, in the best and worst ways. Doing well with Wales, but not well enough to actually go to the World Cup, which is what he’s waiting to find out before pretending not to care.

Even if Celtic did call, he’d do what he did when he was on loan as a player and use us as a shop window.

A great motivator, a fine coach, but always one small incident, with an everyday implement fashioned into a chib, away from a full-blown headline crisis. Not happening. Not yet. Maybe never.

Robbie Keane, Head Coach of Ferencvaros (R), looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between FC Salzburg and Ferencvarosi TC at Stadion Salzburg on October 23, 2025 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Then there’s Robbie the Repenter. Keane’s reputation rehabilitation tour of fascist states continues, doing good work, saying all the right things, now at least, and praying people forget the parts of his career that some would consider “bad optics.”

But Celtic fans forgiving him his Netanyahu career detour, would require a major miracle. The kind that involves angels, burning bushes, or him becoming a United Nations envoy for the Free State of Palestine.

Bodo/Glimt’s Norwegian coach Kjetil Knutsen reacts during the UEFA Europa League Group A football match between Arsenal and Bodoe/Glimt at The Arsenal Stadium in London, on October 6, 2022.(Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Then there’s Knutsen. Norwegian football’s most enigmatic monk. Kjetil earns more from player sales than most city traders get in career annual bonuses. He’s the guy who walks into a room full of agents and says, “No thanks, I already own half the fjords.”

A great coach, a great story and a non-starter. Literally. He’s not starting anything that involves Celtic’s transfer committee and a spreadsheet from 2008, especially without a hefty percentage, and we much prefer corporation tax.

Then there’s Wilfried Nancy. The elegant outsider. French-born, MLS-titled, and more tactically progressive than most of Europe’s mid-table lifers we’ll be linked with over the next few weeks (spoiler alert, it will be months).

But mention “Nancy” in a Celtic boardroom and you’ll hear them question if Sinatra’s missus is still kicking around.

He’s a romantic’s choice, but sadly not a realist’s. And Celtic doesn’t do romance anymore. Not since Brendan packed his bags and wrote his resignation letter in lipstick on the dressing room mirror. Well, I say letter, it was just two words.

Belgium s assistant coach Shaun Maloney and Belgium’s head coach Roberto Martinez pictured during a training session of the Belgian national soccer team Red Devils, in Tubize, Tuesday 15 June 2021. The team is preparing for the second game of the group phase of the Euro 2020 European Championship

Then there’s Roberto, the palatable politician. Martínez has that sleek, continental calm that looks good in press conferences.

Contracted to Portugal until 2028, yes, but in football, contracts are just polite fiction. If things go south at the World Cup, suddenly Glasgow looks like a sensible idea. He’s worked with Maloney before, speaks fluent PR, and wears a waistcoat like a man who could blend in on a dinner date with Desmond. Watch this one.

Martin O’Neill at Celtic Park on October 28, 2025 (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

For some, the writing’s on the wall apparently, and the signature’s already drying. Martin O’Neill is there to steady the ship, keep the lights on, and hand the wheel over when the storm dies down. The job, ultimately, is Shaun Maloney’s, or so goes the story. And the only question left is how long Dermot keeps the stabilisers on before letting him pedal alone.

The race is run, but the carousel keeps spinning, and the ghosts of managers past still haunt the boardroom (He’s in Rio actually- Ed).

Celtic will talk about ambition, identity, and long-term projects, and then end up hiring the guy already sitting next to the bloke in the dugout. Don’t believe me? Here’s Paddy!

Ach, don’t take it seriously. It’s just a bit of fun!

Niall J

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available from celticstarbooks.com

Don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain  Danny McGrain PLUS you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, and you’ll only be charged for postage on one book.  Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

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