GOLDEN BHOY!
O’Neill stays on while Keane made to wait for Parkhead opportunity
ROBBIE Keane is still being earmarked as a future Celtic manager, even though Martin O’Neill’s decision to stay on in the role ended his hopes of landing the job this summer.
Ireland legend Keane held productive talks with Celtic after quitting as Ferencvaros boss, where he boosted his reputation by winning the Hungarian Cup last month.
Keane and Celtic’s chief decision maker Dermot Desmond spoke at length about a long-term vision for the club, but there was always an understanding that O’Neill would be handed the option to continue in the role if he decided to do so.
The prospect of Keane taking over and O’Neill assuming a new role at the club was discussed, but the 74-year-old, who guided Celtic to a domestic double last month. confirmed he was keen to continue in his lead position.
Any suggestion that talks between Keane and Celtic broke down due to protests from fans who signed petitions to block his appointment due to his previous decision to take up a role in Israel as Maccabi Tel Aviv boss have been dismissed by those close to negotiations.
ROBBIE Keane was fully aware that Martin O’Neill had first refusal on the Celtic manager’s job during his discussions with major shareholder Dermot Desmond, and there remains a strong chance he could become the club’s manager in the future, the Sunday World understands.
Keane emerged as the leading contender to take over at Celtic after stepping down from his role as Ferencvaros head coach last month, with constructive talks about a long-term project with the Scottish giants taking place.
Celtic chiefs were impressed with the 45-yearold’s vision for the club and were considering building a new structure that could have seen O’Neill move into an advisory role, with Keane taking on a role as the club’s new manager.
That plan has been under discussion for some time among Celtic’s decision-makers, with O’Neill almost certain to leave the club if he had not pulled off a remarkable Premiership and Scottish Cup double last month.
O’Neill stated his belief on numerous occasions in the final month of the season that he expected the club to appoint a more EXCLUSIVE youthful manager with a long-term vision, as he suggested he was “too tired” to continue in the role into next season.
TRIUMPH
That was before the double trophy triumph changed the mood around the 74-year-old and forced Celtic’s hierarchy to backtrack on their plans to bring in a more youthful coach.
The prospect of off-loading O’Neill after his remarkable heroics at the end of the campaign was a big risk for Celtic chiefs, while it would also have piled the pressure on his successor to match the achievements of the veteran tactician (above).
Keane is believed to have been relaxed about the prospect of O’Neill being handed the first opportunity to make a decision on the role, and it was no surprise to the Dubliner when the veteran coach decided he wanted to stay on for another year.
Ireland’s all-time record goalscorer boosted his reputation as a rising star in management after lifting the Hungarian Cup this season, as he backed up his title-winning success with Ferencvaros last season.
Keane also guided Maccabi Tel Aviv to their title in the 2023/24 season, with his time at the Israeli club emerging as a point of contention for some, as it seemed he was closing in on landing the Celtic job.
Some Celtic fan groups voiced their opposition to Keane’s potential appointment as the club’s manager, but we understand those loud voices of dissent were categorically not the reason why he ultimately failed to land the role at Parkhead.
News of O’Neill’s decision to continue as boss broke on Friday, with media sources revealing the news before the club’s official channels and intriguingly, an official announcement has yet to be made.
REIGN
Confirmation that O’Neill has decided to continue as manager arrived while Keane was in Korea playing for a Liverpool veterans team led by Steven Gerrard, as they took on a star-studded Barcelona side featuring Andres Iniesta and Rivaldo.
Keane remains open to the prospect of returning to management this summer, with Crystal Palace one of numerous clubs that have been linked with him.