Shaun Maloney’s Celtic top job trial period starts Saturday

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The Celtic Star

·08 de janeiro de 2026

Shaun Maloney’s Celtic top job trial period starts Saturday

Could Shaun Maloney be in the frame for the main job at Celtic next season? Some signs are pointing that way…

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney at Easter Road. Sunday 30 November 2025. Hibs v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Martin O’Neill will be the main man in the Celtic dugout until the summer, days after agreeing to take interim charge once again after the dismissal of Wilfried Nancy, but the next big question will be who will get the job on a permanent basis come summer 2026?

Vídeos OneFootball

The rumour mill is throwing about the usual names, but one man who may already be high on that list is about to once again patrol the Celtic dugout, although it’s not Martin O’Neill. That man is Shaun Maloney, Martin’s assistant manager in both his interim spells in charge of Celtic.

Celtic v Falkirk 29.10.2025 Scottish Premiership. Martin O’Neill, Shaun Maloney, Gavin Strachan and Mark Fotheringham Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO

Many supporters will scoff at the mere suggestion, and at the moment Shaun is far from my first pick as the man to take us forward, but some signs do seem to be aligning towards the former Celtic and Scotland man taking over from his managerial mentor come the summer.

The fact that Martin and Shaun have been given priority when it comes to transfer incomings, suggests that plenty of forward planning has been done regarding the man the club may have in mind for the job, with that man being Shaun.

The Malaysian born 42 year old, who is one of the most naturally gifted players to have come through the club’s youth ranks of course knows the place inside out having played here in two different spells, whilst he’s been working at the club for the past six months or so as pathway manager, and of course stepped in to aid Martin O’Neill during a successful interim period in charge.

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

Shaun of course has an abundance of experience in the coaching department, having learned at the highest level possible under the guidance of Roberto Martinez and Thierry Henry with the Belgian national side.

He’s also had a stint of being his own man at Hibs and Wigan, although on both occasions, it was hardly a spectacular success, but he’s picked up some valuable experience all the same and circumstances were difficult in those jobs.

Is it more than a distinct possibility that Shaun Maloney could be the next permanent manager of Celtic Football Club, especially if this season can be turned around with him working alongside Martin O’Neill. Martin has stated that he is here until the end of the season and that’s it as far as his time in the Celtic dugout is concerned. But he might fancy a longer stay come May if things go well, as they surely will.

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney celebrate Celtic’s opening goal during the Premier League match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

But if he does decide that enough is enough then surely he will be offered a seat on the Celtic Board? He has already done more to unify the club in his first few days back than the rest of the current board have done in years and particularly this season where they have disgraced themselves and damaged the club.

Martin would also give the board a real ‘football man’ and had that already been the case we could well have avoided the Nancy shambles that unfolded over the past month or so since his arrival at the start of December. The Frenchman, as one witty Celtic fan pointed out, didn’t last as long as his Christmas tree.

Iain Jamieson from Celtic leads Shaun Maloney and Martin O’Neill into their first media conference at Celtic Park on October 28, 2025 (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

So Martin O’Neill on the Celtic Board next season and Shaun Maloney as the new Celtic manager might be where we’re heading if the pair can turn things around and deliver some silverware, especially the Scottish Premiership title. Don’t bet against them doing just that.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy