Celtic could now appoint interim for ‘rest of the season’
Celtic should not stick with an interim manager for the rest of the season and need to get someone permanently appointed soon to give their players more stability going forward.
That is the verdict of Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier, who has exclusively told Football Insider that he believes Martin O’Neill is a good boss to have as it stands but Celtic need to get a different full-time, long-term manager through the door quickly.
Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager last Monday (27 October) due to irreparable differences with the board, and a number of names have been linked to the job while O’Neill and Shaun Maloney take temporary charge.
The 73-year-old has taken the reins with Maloney in an assistant role, and the pair have done a superb job so far with a 4-0 win against Falkirk followed by a 3-1 triumph over arch-rivals Rangers to seal a place in the League Cup final.
Football Insider recently revealed that O’Neill would be open to staying as Celtic boss until the end of the season if they continue their strong vein of form, but other bosses remain in the running to be appointed soon.
O’Neill could stay on at Celtic but other managers are in the frame
Celtic are edging closer to handing O’Neill the reins until the end of the season, according to Football Insider’s sources, following their dramatic added-time win over Rangers on Sunday (2 November).
His stellar first spell in charge of the club between 2000 and 2005 means he remains a popular figure among the Parkhead fanbase, and calls for him to be given more time in charge will only increase if their form continues.
Numerous names from these shores and overseas have been mooted with taking over instead, however, with Football Insider revealing on Sunday that Celtic’s chiefs are weighing up whether to activate Kieran McKenna’s release clause in his Ipswich Town contract.
Le Tissier backs O’Neill to do well but insists that Celtic must appoint a permanent manager soon
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier insisted that O’Neill is a smart hire in the short-term, but Celtic need to appoint a long-term boss and he is unlikely to be that man.
He said: “I guess if Celtic have taken a look around and there’s not really an outstanding candidate that they feel can take them forward for years to come, then it’s a possibility that they might just go with an interim for the rest of the season.
“Obviously Martin O’Neill is a very experienced manager. I mean, they’re in pretty safe hands there, but I’m not really keen on clubs having interim managers for long periods of time.
“I think they need a bit of stability. The players need to know that there’s a manager here permanently. So I think if Celtic do settle on a name, they’ve got to move pretty quickly and then the players can settle down again.
“But, as I said, Martin O’Neill (has) a lot of experience, so they’re in pretty safe hands at the minute.”