Next Celtic Manager: Five Contenders If Pressure Costs Martin O'Neill His Job
Celtic were booed off at Parkhead on Sunday after a 0-1 defeat to Rangers, their second Old Firm loss in eight days and first Scottish Premiership defeat of the season.
Ryan Naderi's 33rd-minute goal settled the game for Derek McInnes' side, who had already beaten Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox in the League Cup the previous Sunday.
Celtic remain top of the table, two points clear of Rangers, but back-to-back defeats to their biggest rivals have increased the pressure around Martin O'Neill's position.
It has been a difficult week for Celtic, who also lost their Europa League opener to Ferencvaros after being knocked out of Champions League qualifying by LASK last month.
O'Neill made four changes for the Ferencvaros game but saw his side suffer another defeat, with former Celtic captain Neil Lennon questioning the team's game management on TNT Sports, while an awkward exchange with a reporter over team selection added to the scrutiny.
O'Neill signed a new one-year contract in the summer, with an option for a further year, after guiding Celtic to a domestic double across two spells as interim manager.
Betting sites are yet to offer prices on O'Neill's replacement, and Celtic's two-point lead at the top means the title race remains in their hands, but results after the international break will be closely watched.
Next Celtic Manager Candidates
Here at Free Bets we've picked out five names who could realistically be under consideration if Celtic do move on from their veteran boss.
Shaun Maloney
Shaun Maloney is already part of the Celtic coaching staff, having returned to the club in 2025 before joining Martin O'Neill's backroom team.
He has worked alongside O'Neill since the former Celtic boss returned to Parkhead, giving Maloney a prominent role within the first-team setup.
Maloney has also managed Hibernian and Wigan Athletic, as well as spending several years as Roberto Martinez's assistant with Belgium.
His previous managerial spells were mixed, while he has previously said that becoming Celtic manager was not on his radar, but his knowledge of the club and current role would naturally put him into the conversation if O'Neill's position came under pressure.
Damien Duff
Damien Duff joined Brentford as first-team assistant coach under Keith Andrews in June, linking up with his former Republic of Ireland teammate at Premier League level.
Before that, he led Shelbourne to the League of Ireland Premier Division title in 2024, while his coaching career also included a spell at Celtic, where he worked under Neil Lennon during the club's domestic treble-winning 2019/20 season.
Duff's profile has continued to rise since moving into coaching, although his only senior managerial experience remains in the League of Ireland.
A return to Celtic would therefore represent a significant step, but his previous experience at Parkhead and growing reputation in England would make him an interesting name if the job becomes available.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank is an established Premier League manager who previously built his reputation during a lengthy spell in charge of Brentford before moving to Tottenham.
He was linked with the Celtic job during the summer before O'Neill's appointment, so his name has already featured in the conversation around the Parkhead hot seat.
Frank's recent experience at the top level would make him a very different proposition to the candidates with Scottish or Irish coaching backgrounds, although a move to Celtic would represent another change in direction after his time in the Premier League.
Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane was reportedly Celtic's leading target before O'Neill was appointed permanently, with Sky Sports and the BBC reporting that he held talks with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.
The former Republic of Ireland captain has since been out of work following his departure from Ferencvaros in May.
Keane therefore remains a familiar name whenever the Celtic job is discussed, particularly given how close he reportedly came to taking the role previously.
Any future interest would have to be considered in the context of the circumstances surrounding his earlier talks with the club.
Kjetil Knutsen
Kjetil Knutsen has been linked with Celtic repeatedly during his successful spell in charge of Bodo/Glimt, where he has developed a strong reputation for his work in European competition.
The Norwegian remains at the club, however, and has previously played down speculation over a move away from Glimt.
That makes another Celtic approach difficult to assess, but Knutsen's track record and tactical reputation ensure his name is likely to remain in the conversation whenever the Celtic Park job becomes available.
Celtic's next fixture comes after the international break. This page will be updated if the pressure on O'Neill increases or a change is confirmed.
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