Next manager of The Celtic Football Club

Sport
101

Yes please.

THE controversial Italianā€™s agent said he would jump at a return to Celtic, where ā€œthe supporters loved himā€, with another former Hoops hero also expressing his interest.

PAOLO DI CANIO wants to return to Celtic as manager.

Record Sport can reveal the 45-year-old Italian would jump at an approach from Celtic to make a comeback as Neil Lennonā€™s successor 14 years after leaving Glasgow as a player.

And another former Celtic star, Morten Wieghorst, has also stated he is interested in a return to Paradise as the clubā€™s new boss

Di Canio is ready to return to management having taken a break following his departure from Sunderland last year.

Di Canio was axed from the Stadium of Light in September just six months after taking charge but has been the subject of approaches from clubs since leaving England.

Di Canio is waiting for the right opportunity and Celtic would represent it.

The Italian declined to speak specifically about Celtic last night but agent Matteo Roggi said: ā€œPaolo confirmed to me he would love to work for Celtic.ā€

Di Canioā€™s UK-based adviser Phil Spencer said: ā€œPaolo wants to get back into management and would seriously consider an approach by Celtic if there was interest.

ā€œPaolo enjoyed his time at Celtic and the supporters loved him.ā€

Di Canio is ready for a return to a hotseat and said: ā€œIn two years of my career, I only had a successful period, so that proved my philosophy, in general, is the right one.

ā€œIā€™m available and Iā€™m ready. Iā€™ve had time to think about whatā€™s happened in the past. I have a more positive opinion about my philosophy.ā€

Ex-Celtic and Denmark midfielder Wieghorst said yesterday he would be ā€œhonouredā€ if the Scottish champions offered him the chance to replace Lennon.

The 43-year-old was manager of Nordsjaelland for five years, guiding them to back-to-back Danish Cup successes in 2010 and 2011 before his reputation for developing young players saw him headhunted by the Danish FA to take charge of Denmarkā€™s Under-21 side, although the Nordsjaelland team he left behind went on to win the title and entered the Champions League.

Wieghorst was then recruited by Michael Laudrup to become assistant manager at Swansea, enjoying a League Cup triumph and a Europa League campaign in which they beat Valencia 3-0.

Wieghorst was touted as a successor to Laudrup but then Swansea sacked Laudrup last February, with Wieghorst also axed.

The Dane said: ā€œI am honoured to be mentioned in connection with Celtic. It is a massive club and I would be interested if I got a call.ā€

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who was in Lisbon over the weekend for the Champions League Final, is currently drawing up a list of candidates.

Davie Moyes and Malky Mackay are understood to be at the top of the wish list, with the latter, who left Cardiff earlier this year after steering them to the top flight, believed more likely to be receptive to an offer.

However, the likes of Roy Keane, Owen Coyle, Jackie McNamara, Steve Clarke and former Brighton boss Oscar Garcia are among a host of other names in the running also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N73z_wHyQz0

102

What would we think of Paul Clement as an outside choice?

[LIST]
[]Has worked under Hiddink, Ancelotti and Steve Kean
[]Has managed in Ireland previously so heā€™d know the mentality of players and managers
[*]After the CL win he is now interested in becoming a manager or head coach somewhere.

[/LIST]

103

No thanks.

104

Strengthening rumours that Malky Mackay is due to meet Mr Desmond this week.

Had a look at his record over the weekend - it isnā€™t sensational or anything but the job he did with Cardiff was really good in fairness. Itā€™s eerily like the job Mowbray did at West Brom though. Get a team to the playoff final, lose on penalties, win the division the next season and then lose your job in the Premier League. I think Cardiff were better in the EPL (certainly under the time Mowbray was in charge) but he did have more money to spend.

Iā€™m also increasingly concerned at the various ways his name is spelled on twitter and the likes. It would be hard to take McKay and MacKay after years of Trapp.

105

[QUOTE=ā€œRocko, post: 949894, member: 1ā€]Strengthening rumours that Malky Mackay is due to meet Mr Desmond this week.

Had a look at his record over the weekend - it isnā€™t sensational or anything but the job he did with Cardiff was really good in fairness. Itā€™s eerily like the job Mowbray did at West Brom though. Get a team to the playoff final, lose on penalties, win the division the next season and then lose your job in the Premier League. I think Cardiff were better in the EPL (certainly under the time Mowbray was in charge) but he did have more money to spend.

Iā€™m also increasingly concerned at the various ways his name is spelled on twitter and the likes. It would be hard to take McKay and MacKay after years of Trapp.[/QUOTE]

Mackay does seem like a little bit of a bully whereas Mowbray came across as someone that was too nice. My biggest gripe with Mackay would be the style of football we could/should expect from him. I think the board will be looking to appoint another yes man in the mould of Lennon, personally I think it is disgraceful what Lawwell has got away with during his tenure - the club has been downsized, the playing budget is reduced year on year and his salary and bonuses are going in the opposite direction. Itā€™s about time the fans made a concerted effort against the board, if Lennon has left due to worries about the ambition or backing he was not getting then he should come out and say it publicly.

106

Coyle odds on with the turf accountants.

Youā€™d assume heā€™d be a cheaper option than big Malky and thatā€™s what itā€™s going to boil down to youā€™d think

107

[QUOTE=ā€œthedancingbaby, post: 949927, member: 48ā€]Coyle odds on with the turf accountants.

Youā€™d assume heā€™d be a cheaper option than big Malky and thatā€™s what itā€™s going to boil down to youā€™d think[/QUOTE]

+1

Lawwell wants a yes man who will accept whatever parameters he is given to work in. Coyleā€™s stock has fallen considerably since leaving Burnley and would pretty much take any job on offer now.

108

There would/will be an outcry if Coyle gets the job. I hope this is clear enough for the Board to understand - and that they are aware of the financial consequences. But too often it seems like the money men at Celtic think cutting costs is a better way of generating profits than increasing revenue.

109

Out of the realistic candidates being considered I think Jackie is the best option.

110

Touch of the Tony Mowbrays about him, I fear. Iā€™ll ask Brett Desmond whatā€™s going on when Iā€™m speaking to him later. Hashtag - Project Finance.

111

He seems a nice lad but finishing fourth with that Dundee United team isnā€™t a great achievement I donā€™t think. They finished 12 points behind Motherwell. They played nice football and have brought through some good young players but he has a bit to do to earn the Celtic job I think. If itā€™s going to an unproven manager then Larsson should get it.

112

Who? Jackie?

Jackie is a really spikey character, he doesnā€™t who his passion in the same sort of posturing and animated way Lennon did but heā€™s definitely much more an actions than words sort of man and I think heā€™s got the perfect mentality for the job. Mowbray was too much of a nice guy when it came down to it. Heā€™s done well in bringing through some youth players at Dundee United and I think heā€™s a better option than Mackay or Coyle. He also smashed Mark Hateley.

113

As I touched on in my post just below, there seems to be a misconception that McNamara was some sort of nice, gentle soul but he could be as nasty and vicious as he wanted to be when he was playing and was well able to look after himself.

114

But what about his managerial record? With the players Dundee United have - more talented players than Donegal anyway ( :wink: ) I would have expected them to finish second, or at least third and certainly closer to second place than to ICT and St Johnstone.

115

Itā€™s ok - nothing spectacular but heā€™s a young manager learning his trade.

You could also express severe misgivings over Lennonā€™s tenure as Celtic manager with the collapses in cup competitions against teams we really should have beaten. Iā€™ve liked the style of football Dundee United have played under McNamara and I think heā€™s a very focused and level-headed manager but equally a guy who is not a soft touch. I think he can build on what has been done before him and is familiar with the league and has a good track record of bringing through young players.

116

[QUOTE=ā€œIl Bomber Destro, post: 950164, member: 2533ā€]Itā€™s ok - nothing spectacular but heā€™s a young manager learning his trade.

You could also express severe misgivings over Lennonā€™s tenure as Celtic manager with the collapses in cup competitions against teams we really should have beaten. Iā€™ve liked the style of football Dundee United have played under McNamara and I think heā€™s a very focused and level-headed manager but equally a guy who is not a soft touch. I think he can build on what has been done before him and is familiar with the league and has a good track record of bringing through young players.[/QUOTE]
Agreed on Lennon. I was not convinced he was the right appointment. I thought the meek defeats to ICT away and a couple at Ibrox were very disappointing. But he bought time with the improvements in Europe and the campaign with the win over Barcelona was a great achievement.

But we shouldnā€™t just be replacing like with like. I think we have an opportunity here to build a bit of an identity. Le Guen was a laughable figure at the huns but he had no time to change their system and proved he couldnā€™t cope with the pressure. That seems to have scared Celtic, and the huns before they folded, from going for an overseas manager. But another Jansen would be great. Or a Dr Jo if we hired him now and he had an easier start to his career in Glasgow - they bring a style of football, an identity, a knowledge of the European game and an awful lot of experience with them. Iā€™d like to see us sounding out that type of figure but I think that Lawwell and Desmond will feel that type of character might be outside their control, and weā€™ll get someone with ā€œCeltic DNAā€ to come in.

In short, Iā€™d rather someone not at all familiar with the league than someone who has that as one of their selling points. I expect us to win the next league anyway and by next summer the new manager will have as much experience of the league as McNamara does now. If that new man doesnā€™t win the league now, then Iā€™d like to think we might change our manager again.

If it does need to be one of:
Clarke
Mackay
McNamara
Coyle
Lambert
Moyes
Larsson
or an equivalent

then I think Clarke has the best credentials, based on his experiences of working with different managers and his reputation as a coach - we have lost a couple of coaches too. I donā€™t think thereā€™s an awful lot between Clarke and Mackay. McNamara is nothing other than an unknown quantity, the same as Larsson. Moyes knows how to get results but his work in the transfer market doesnā€™t convince me. Lambert seems like a miserable fucker and Coyle is a joke figure.

117

Given the the alleged reasons behind Lennonā€™s exit - frustration with money being available and being unable to retain his best players - I canā€™t see too many managers wanting this job. I think what the board want will drive away a lot of those managers like Moyes, Mackay and Lambert. McNamara is someone who does not have the high profile of other managers - hasnā€™t managed in the EPL and is a young manager not in the game long - so I think he could be an attractive option. I also think he would stick up for the fans or the clubs interests against the board more than the other candidates, personally I felt Lennon let the fans and club down badly in this regard, he was happy to tow the boards line and even when he did exit he didnā€™t speak out on it. I agree that the last thing we want is a manager who feel they owe the board something for getting the gig but I donā€™t think the board will appoint someone who they feel may not be a yes man.

118

reckon Terry Butcher is odds on now that Hibs are relegated

119

Not wanted:

  • Coyle
  • Collins
  • McNamara

Would like:

  • McCarthy
  • MacKay

Doesnā€™t fit in either group cause I donā€™t want to hurt his feelings:

  • Larsson
120

[QUOTE=ā€œRaymond Crotty, post: 950223, member: 25ā€]Not wanted:

  • Coyle
  • Collins
  • McNamara

Would like:

  • McCarthy
  • MacKay

Doesnā€™t fit in either group cause I donā€™t want to hurt his feelings:

  • Larsson[/QUOTE]

@Rocko

Weā€™ve got another one.