PETER LAWWELL revealed last night that Celtic expect to appoint a new manager within the next two weeks just hours after Martin O’Neill insisted Roy Keane would be the ‘perfect fit’ to take over at Parkhead.
The Celtic chief executive, speaking in a wide-ranging interview with The Herald, admitted the process of finding Ronny Deila’s replacement has started in earnest and that he believed a decision would be reached by the board before the end of this month.
Keane was interviewed two years ago for the job and claimed he was offered it by Dermot Desmond, the club’s major shareholder. He is, again, a leading candidate along with Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes, Paul Lambert, Malky Mackay and Neil Lennon, who would welcome a return as manager.
O’Neill, now in charge of the Republic of Ireland, has put forward Keane, his assistant, and such a recommendation will carry a lot of weight with the decision-makers at the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership champions.
Asked when he expected an announcement to be made, Lawwell replied: “It won’t be for another week or two, I would have thought. We have just started the process.
“We will get the best man available who wants to come to Scotland. We have strengths and weaknesses, but we need to get in the best and get the fans back. I hope that’s what we do.
“It is not my decision. It’s the board’s decision. I work for the board. I’m the hired hand. I don’t have excessive power here.
"If you think that I would with a board as strong as that, it’s ludicrous.
“Every time you go out for a manager, it’s tough. However, we are champions, we are going into the (Champions League) qualifiers, we have a stable club financially, we have just announced the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in Scottish football history, we have the biggest kit sponsorship deal, we are going to play Barcelona, Inter Milan, Leicester, and it is Celtic. We still have a big appeal.
"There is a lot of positivity around. The challenge clearly is that we go for the best available, the best of who wants to be here in Scotland. That is the challenge; getting the best of who wants a career in Scotland.”
Some bookmakers this week suspended betting on former Manchester United and Ireland captain Keane, who would certainly help sell season tickets even if many supporters have reservations about their club appointing someone with such a chequered managerial career,
O’Neill, an icon at Celtic, believes his right-hand man has a chance of bringing success to the club where he spent five memorable seasons as manager.
"I think Celtic is one of the great clubs in the world and I have to say that he (Keane) was one of the great players in the world, so that's not a bad fit for a start,” said O’Neill.
"Could Roy do the job? I would have no problems with that whatsoever. Would he be capable of doing that? Absolutely. As Roy said, you still have to be asked and so far, I'm not so sure that that's been the case.
"I don't think that he would give things up here lightly. Something would have to, as he often says, his favourite phrase, rock his boat. He has enjoyed it here. I think it has been good for him, but is he ready to go? Yes, he could very well be."
O'Neill is regarded a live contender for the vacant Everton job following the sacking of Roberto Martinez yesterday. He has also failed to agree a new deal with the Football Association of Ireland as he prepares to lead them into the European Championship finals in the summer.
Asked if he still expected to be working with Keane in the Ireland set-up when the World Cup qualifiers get under way next season, O'Neill said: "I wouldn't know, really. I certainly wouldn't know that. Anything can happen between now and the start of next season. Who can say?
"But I think I have said to you before that I think Roy will want to go and manage in his own right and make the decisions, which is important. He has been used to making a lot of decisions throughout his life both as a player and a captain, and as a manager.
"I think this has been very, very good for him. Will he want to manage on his own again? Absolutely, and if an opportunity comes up, a really good opportunity, then I would wish him all the best."
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