Celtic next manager favourite 'ruled out' as 'person of considerable interest' emerges

The board of directors are drawing up a shortlist of candidates to replace the Northern Irishman after appointing former boss Martin O'Neill to oversee the first-team on an interim basis.

O'Neill, who managed the club between 2000 and 2005, winning seven trophies including a treble in his debut season as well as reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2003, will be assisted by Shaun Maloney. However, the 73-year-old has stressed that he is only a short-term solution and that Celtic will be looking to appoint a younger manager on a permanent basis.

Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna has emerged as an early frontrunner for the vacancy after guiding the Tractor Boys to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years before suffering relegation last season. A move for McKenna could be an expensive one, however, amid claims that Celtic would have to pay as much as £5million to secure McKenna and his backroom staff after the 39-year-old signed a new deal at Portman Road last year which ties him to the English Championship club until 2028.

A possible return for Ange Postecoglou has also been mooted after the man who Rodgers replaced in the summer of 2023 following his departure to Tottenham Hotspur was installed as the early bookies' favourite for the job. Postecoglou would likely prove a popular choice among fans after winning five trophies out of six across his two years in charge of the Hoops.

However, according to the Scottish Sun, the Greek-Australian has been ruled out of a Parkhead reunion after deciding to take a break from football following his nightmare stint at Nottingham Forest. The 60-year-old made a swift return to the dugout with Forest after being sacked by Tottenham in the summer but was dismissed after just 39 days at the City Ground after failing to win any of his eight games in charge.

Meanwhile, Wales manager Craig Bellamy has emerged as a 'person of considerable interest', according to the Daily Record. The former striker, who had a fruitful loan spell at Celtic in season 2004–05 season, has built an impressive coaching CV working under Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht and Burnley before taking on the Wales job last year.

Bellamy became the first Wales manager in history to remain unbeaten in his first four matches and is currently bidding to lead his nation to next year's World Cup. Belgium are in pole position to win Group J after a 4-2 win in Cardiff earlier this month but Wales can secure a play-off place with two wins over Liechtenstein and North Macedonia next month.

The prospect of a World Cup play-off for Wales in March could prove a stumbling block for Celtic should they wish to make a move for Bellamy, who would face a decision between chasing history with his country or taking on one of the biggest jobs in club football.