Celtic reach decision on appointing Roy Keane as four manager targets confirmed

Celtic have prepared a shortlist of managerial candidates in case they part ways with Martin O’Neill, as Sean Dyche emerges on a four-name shortlist and well-placed sources reveal the truth behind links with Roy Keane.

As TEAMtalk has previously reported, O’Neill continues to enjoy the complete support of the Celtic board and has given no indication that he intends to walk away from the manager’s role as of yet.

The club have made it clear that the decision rests with the 74-year-old, who remains their preferred choice to lead the team forward.

O’Neill’s position has come under scrutiny following consecutive defeats to Rangers and a 3-1 defeat to Ferencvaros in the Europa League.

The recent Old Firm loss at Celtic Park, combined with poor performances, prompted the Northern Irishman to speak of personal reflection.

Yet the board have responded by publicly affirming their confidence in him and stressing that they are content for him to stay in charge.

As is standard practice for any major club, a shortlist of potential candidates has been prepared as a contingency measure.

Names that have circulated in discussion include former Everton boss Sean Dyche, along with Kieran McKenna, a possible return for Neil Lennon, and Shaun Maloney stepping up to take full control.

However, there is currently no active process or indication that a change is imminent.

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Roy Keane NOT an option to replace Martin O’Neill at Celtic

Roy Keane’s presence at the most recent Old Firm fixture has fuelled some online chatter.

Sources close to the situation have dismissed any suggestion of a managerial link as lazy speculation, however.

Keane attended as a neutral observer, a long-term friend of O’Neill and a known Celtic supporter.

He is also not a popular choice for the role among the Celtic supporters, who would like to see the club take a more modern approach and look “outside the box”.

The club’s stance is unambiguous: O’Neill retains their full confidence and the decision on his future is entirely his own.

With the season still in its early stages and Celtic sitting at the top of the Scottish Premiership, the focus remains on supporting the current management team through the present challenges and driving for success both domestically and in the Europa League.

There is still time over the current international break for O’Neill to resign, but it’s expected he would have told them by now to allow time to find a adequate replacement.

For now, stability is the message from Parkhead.