Dermot Desmond to get Celtic fans ‘back onside’ with double manager deal
Shaun Maloney could be looking to use his relationship with Martin O’Neill to secure the Celtic manager’s job in the summer.
That is according to ex-Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, with O’Neill backed to become director of football at Celtic.
Maloney is O’Neill’s assistant manager as the 73-year-old takes charge of Celtic until the end of the season.
The former Wigan and Hibernian boss was an outsider to take the role when Wilfried Nancy was sacked by Celtic, with the 43-year-old also having played for the club during his playing career.
Dermot Desmond could get Celtic fans ‘back onside’
Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Dermot Desmond should listen to O’Neill in Celtic’s managerial search.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Craig Bellamy could also be an option for the Celtic job.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I’ve still got this funny feeling that Shaun Maloney is going to impress Martin, and Martin may go up to be director of football. That could be the thing, the way I see this going.
“And there could be worse things for Dermot Desmond to do than actually listen to Martin O’Neill and install him as the voice and director of football. That would get the fans back onside, I think, a lot.
“But Bellamy is certainly an option and one that has to be considered. He said he wasn’t prepared to leave Wales for other jobs at the moment, but think Celtic may be a big appeal for him. But it’s one that would be towards the end of the season and we’ll see how the summer goes.
“Of course he may not be available in the summer so we’ll have to do a lot of things still to go but he’s one that should be on the shortlist.”
Celtic could turn to former boss
Ange Postecoglou is emerging as a front-runner for the Celtic job, and to return to Glasgow for a second spell in charge.
Postecoglou has been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in October after failing to win any of his games in charge of the club.
The Australian though won the Scottish Premiership title in both his seasons in charge of Celtic, and is still highly regarded at the club.