With Ange Postecoglou among the favourites to return as the Glasgow club parts ways with Wilfried Nancy and reinstates Martin O’Neill on a temporary basis.
Ange Postecoglou is among the favourites to take over at Celtic next season after the Glasgow club sacked French manager Wilfried Nancy following just eight games in charge, six of which ended in defeat.
Celtic have reinstated Martin O’Neill, who previously enjoyed a successful caretaker spell, but only until the end of the season. This move opens the door for Postecoglou, should he want to return — and the club clearly does.
The 60 year old Australian, remains hugely popular with fans, who admired his attacking style and trophy-laden two-year spell at Celtic from 2021-23 before he left for Tottenham in the Premier League. Postecoglou won the Europa League with Spurs but was later sacked and had a brief, unsuccessful stint at Nottingham Forest. He is currently out of work.
Scottish bookmakers had priced Postecoglou at 4-1 for a return to Celtic before Monday night’s announcement of O’Neill’s temporary appointment, with only O’Neill and former player Shaun Maloney ahead of him in the betting. Postecoglou had previously ruled out an immediate comeback after Celtic parted with Brendan Rodgers in October, just a week after leaving Forest.
With Nancy’s assistants and head of football operations Paul Tisdale also leaving, and former chairman Peter Lawwell stepping down last month citing abuse, Celtic have cleared the deck following Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to rivals Rangers.
Celtic began the season under Rodgers, who had won the previous two league titles, but he resigned in October after poor form and clashes with the board. O’Neill stabilised the team, winning seven of eight matches and drawing level on points with Hearts, having arrived six points adrift. Nancy, previously successful in MLS with Columbus Crew, failed to keep a clean sheet in his 33-day spell, leaving Celtic again six points behind Hearts.
O’Neill said on the club website: “I am really pleased, in fact very honoured to be asked back to manage the team again and I am looking forward to getting back to work with the players.”
Celtic face Dundee United on Saturday, kicking off a demanding schedule of eight games in 24 days, including a trip to Hearts on January 25.
