![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_piZap-43.jpg\")
Wilfried Nancy, Kjetil Knutsen and Robbie Keane<\/p>\nThe Hoops hierarchy have begun interviewing candidates to replace Brendan Rodgers on a permanent basis<\/p>\n
16:43, 12 Nov 2025Updated 17:02, 12 Nov 2025<\/p>\n
Wilfried Nancy, Kjetil Knutsen and Robbie Keane<\/p>\n
Celtic have been holding talks with new manager candidates this week in London as they look to whittle down their shortlist.<\/p>\n
Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy<\/a> is the bookies’ favourite just ahead of Bodo Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen, who he has added fuel to the fire by saying he is likely to leave the Norwegian side at the end of his contract.<\/p>\n Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna had been the early favourite but this interest has waned and would also come with a substantial seven figure price tag.<\/p>\n Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy has also been discussed<\/a> at boardroom level.<\/p>\n The likes of Ferencvaros boss and ex-Celtic loanee Robbie Keane has been mentioned as well as another possible option, as has Wales manager Craig Bellamy.<\/p>\n Celtic <\/a>chiefs have been down south conducting interviews and a new man could be in place for the Premiership clash away to St Mirren on Saturday, November 22.<\/p>\n Interim boss Martin O’Neill<\/a> was brought back to the club two decades after leaving as a temporary replacement for Brendan Rodgers.<\/p>\n The veteran got the Bhoys back to winning ways with victories over Falkirk and then Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden.<\/p>\n A bruising 3-1 away defeat to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League<\/a> dented the feel good factor around Parkhead before Kilmarnock were dispatched 4-0 at the weekend.<\/p>\n O’Neill admitted himself that he expected an appointment to be made during the current international break.<\/p>\n And now club chiefs are set to sit down with him and assistant Shaun Maloney to discuss their immediate future.<\/p>\n O’Neill admitted after the Killie game he was open to the idea of staying on longer but that he expected to hear one way or another this week<\/a>. He said: \u201cI have to go back down to London again, I\u2019m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday and think ‘has this really happened?’<\/p>\n \u201cSo I should imagine at some stage or another during the course of the next week, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be Saturday or Sunday of next week, that somebody will let me know what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I genuinely don\u2019t know. But if they make an announcement in, let\u2019s say, in the next week or something about a new manager, I will take this fortnight and I was nearly going to say rather morbidly, to my grave, but hang about. Well you never know, but it\u2019s been fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow Record Sport on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.<\/p>\n You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers<\/a> and Celtic<\/a> pages, and sign up to our newsletters<\/a> to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We’re also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here<\/a> and our Celtic community here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tune in to Hotline Live<\/a> every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport’s newest podcast, Game On<\/a>, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_JS387304556.jpg\")
Celtic Interim manager Martin O’Neill <\/p>\n