🔗 Share this article

Following Brendan Rodgers' departure as Celtic head coach on Monday, multiple candidates have emerged as possible long-term successors for the Northern Irishman.

Celtic moved quickly to appoint former manager Martin O'Neill as temporary boss—two decades after his initial spell in charge of the Scottish club ended.

Sunday's 3-1 loss at table-toppers Hearts was Celtic's back-to-back Premiership defeat, putting them eight points adrift in the runner-up spot, while they have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

O'Neill, 73, has played down suggestions he could take up the job on a permanent basis—stating he is merely "keeping the seat warm."

Multiple potential appointees have already started to emerge for the role, among them some names with close links to Parkhead.

The Ipswich Town Head Coach

Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna has arisen as an appealing candidate to guide Celtic back on a positive track.

However, insiders have suggested that Celtic could face a significant financial cost to secure the 39-year-old.

McKenna signed a new multi-year contract at Ipswich in the 2024 off-season, reportedly worth around £5 million per season.

Furthermore, it is believed he has a sizable release clause that Celtic may be obliged to meet if they choose to formalise their interest.

It is yet unclear whether McKenna is willing to depart English football to forge a new chapter in Scotland—though sources have suggested the manager would be open to a move.

Ipswich are currently in the middle of the pack in the Championship after last season's relegation from the Premier League.

McKenna was among the candidates for the Brentford head coach job in the off-season following Thomas Frank's departure, but the position was filled internally by Keith Andrews.

Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou is back on the market after a short and disappointing spell at Nottingham Forest.

The Australian, who was dismissed by Tottenham at the end of the 2024-25 season, lasted just 39 days at the club and became the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou did not secure a victory in any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two draws and six defeats across all competitions, but he is nonetheless highly regarded by the Celtic supporters and is free.

He spent two seasons in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 and guided the club to a clean sweep of Scottish trophies in his second campaign.

The Former Celtic Striker

Former striker Robbie Keane also qualifies as an additional candidate with strong links to Celtic and someone who completely knows the club.

Keane scored 16 goals in 19 games for the Scottish giants during a loan spell in 2010 and was named Celtic's Best Performer for 2009-10.

The Republic of Ireland international retired in November 2018 after a short stint as player-manager at Indian Super League club ATK.

In 2023, Keane was named manager of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv and led them to a domestic double last year.

He assumed control at Hungarian team Ferencvaros in January and won the championship during his inaugural season.

It is understood Keane would be open to the Celtic vacancy.

Craig Bellamy

Craig Bellamy took his first steps into management in 2024 with the Wales national side and is also thought to have supporters at Celtic.

The former striker scored eight goals in 14 matches for the Scottish side during a loan spell in 2005.

Bellamy has overseen 14 games with Wales—winning six, drawing four, and suffering four defeats—and is reportedly committed to the position.

Wales are in third place in their World Cup group for the 2026 World Cup and guaranteed at least a playoff spot, so persuading him away from the Welsh team could be challenging.

Martin O'Neill

Martin O'Neill spent five years in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005—winning seven honors, including three Premiership titles.

The Northern Irishman's last position in the managerial seat was with Nottingham Forest. He succeeded Aitor Karanka in January 2019 with the club ninth in the Championship and was sacked at the conclusion of the season with Forest remaining in the identical position.

Speaking on Tuesday, O'Neill stated, "I must stress, this is short term, until a permanent manager is appointed."

O'Neill's first assignment comes on Wednesday when Celtic host sixth-placed Falkirk at 19:45 GMT.