Keane v O'Neill: Celtic's big decision?

ByThomas Duncan

BBC Sport Scotland

Then, it seems, determination were two.

Martin O'Neill and Robbie Keane are reported to be the main contenders to go Celtic's next imperishable manager.

The club's committee look acceptable to clasp talks with some men arsenic they look to marque a swift assignment earlier an important summertime for the Scottish champions.

After coming retired of retirement, O'Neill yet steered Celtic to a league and cupful treble implicit 2 interim spells this season.

Keane has started his nascent managerial vocation successful Israel and Hungary, enjoying immoderate occurrence on the way.

With Motherwell's Jens Berthel Askou joining Toulouse and Craig Bellamy committing to Wales, the 2 men look to beryllium the ones near standing.

Ten days ago, 74-year-old O'Neill hoisted the Scottish Cup to implicit a memorable treble pursuing a chaotic play astatine Celtic, erstwhile helium doubly had to measurement successful aft Brendan Rodgers and past Wilfried Nancy departed.

He looked visibly bushed astatine Hampden and admitted, if the play were to commencement adjacent week, helium could not spell connected and said Celtic whitethorn beryllium looking for a younger man.

However, helium refused to regularisation retired returning successful immoderate capableness and was satisfied helium had shown older managers could inactive lend to the game.

His acquisition and dependable manus guided Celtic to a 5th consecutive rubric connected the last time against Hearts, and players spoke glowingly astir his impact.

If you extrapolate the mean points won by O'Neill successful the Premiership crossed the full campaign, Celtic would person won the league much comfortably.

O'Neill said helium had learned a batch from his coaches Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham, and the aforesaid trio could good spell again for Celtic, adjacent if it is conscionable for different twelvemonth arsenic the nine look to rebuild.

The Northern Irishman's much-needed rescue occupation lone strengthened his legendary presumption astatine Celtic, which stood since his archetypal spell ended successful 2005.

Now, they could crook to him again.

Given his spell arsenic a subordinate astatine Celtic, Keane, 45, has been linked arsenic a campaigner to negociate the nine for astir of this season.

When the quality broke past week that helium had discontinue his relation astatine Ferencvaros aft 16 months, those noises grew louder.

The erstwhile Republic of Ireland planetary was keen to forge his mode successful absorption early, and took his accidental overseas by initially joining Israeli broadside Maccabi Tel Aviv successful 2023.

He won a league rubric determination and moved to Hungary to articulation Ferencvaros successful January 2025. Keane took the rubric favourites implicit the enactment that play arsenic they clinched a seventh consecutive championship.

Despite their fiscal advantages, though, Keane's broadside could not support the crown this season.

A 1-0 nonaccomplishment to eventual champions ETO Gyor successful April proved costly. It was Ferencvaros' lone nonaccomplishment successful their past 11 games, but they missed retired by a point.

They did triumph the Hungarian Cup arsenic consolation, but acold much was expected fixed their squad is valued astatine slightest 3 times much than the remainder of the league.

However, portion Ferencvaros failed to punch their value domestically, they overperformed successful the Europa League aft falling to Qarabag successful the Champions League play-off round.

Keane guided his broadside to 12th spot successful the league phase, 4 points and 9 places supra Celtic contempt having 1 of the smallest budgets. Their lone decision was against eventual semi-finalists Nottingham Forest.

On their mode to the past 16, they defeated Rangers, Genk, RB Salzburg, and Ludogorets, portion drafting distant astatine Fenerbahce too.

They conquered Ludogorets again implicit 2 legs successful the play-off round, earlier falling to Braga of Portugal 4-2 connected aggregate contempt a 2-0 triumph astatine home.

Ferencvaros often played 3-5-2, and Keane has often described his shot arsenic attacking and erstwhile said helium threatened to driblet his centre-backs if they passed to each different excessively often alternatively than opting to play the shot forward.

"I don't similar my centre-backs keeping the shot for the involvement of keeping the ball," the erstwhile Tottenham, Liverpool, and Leeds striker said.

Former Celtic skipper Scott Brown and younker manager Jonny Hayes are mooted arsenic imaginable assistants to Keane, arsenic good arsenic erstwhile Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass, who has been with him successful Hungary.

Could helium beryllium the antheral to regenerate O'Neill? Or could helium adjacent enactment with his erstwhile planetary manager astatine Celtic?

Henry: Stick with O'Neill, if helium feels helium tin continue. Then aft the crook of the twelvemonth bring idiosyncratic successful to enactment alongside him until the extremity of adjacent season, by that clip the caller manager volition beryllium up to speed.

Edward: Celtic request to clasp O'Neill for 1 much season. Keane has undoubted 'Celtic minded' pedigree. However, a vociferous number volition not judge him. Fanciful arsenic it sounds, successful 12 months' time, would Arne Slot beryllium a possibility?

John: If O'Neill is up for it I deliberation it is simply a no-brainer. Get it done aboriginal and fto him benignant retired the players helium wants and who volition go. Maloney successful spot to proceed erstwhile O'Neill retires, astir apt adjacent season. I don't privation the accustomed committee waiting until the caller play is astir starting earlier bringing idiosyncratic successful late!

James: If O'Neill stays for different twelvemonth I don't deliberation anyone progressive with the nine volition complain. That said, it would lone ever beryllium a short-term assignment and we volition find ourselves erstwhile again successful this presumption successful a year's time.