Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney Backed for New Celtic Roles When Season Ends

Football Insider 247 advocates for Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney to take on expanded roles at Celtic beyond their current interim stint, following the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.[5]

Celtic's managerial crisis deepened after Nancy's disastrous 33-day tenure, which saw the club slump to third in the Scottish Premiership table, nine points behind leaders despite a prior game in hand.[3][4] O'Neill, the 73-year-old legend who previously won seven trophies in his first spell at Parkhead, returned as interim manager until the season's end, marking his third time in charge.[1][3][4] He has ruled out a longer stay, humorously noting his age—"I am 112 next birthday"—and emphasizing his commitment only through the campaign.[4]

Assisting O'Neill are Shaun Maloney, initially a co-caretaker, and Mark Fotheringham, with Stephen McManus joining the backroom staff alongside coaches Gavin Strachan, Stevie Woods, and Greg Wallace.[2][3] Maloney, 42, handled much of the training despite deferring media duties to O'Neill. A former Celtic coach, Belgium assistant, and manager of Hibernian and Wigan, he now serves as player pathways manager but could step up further.[2]

O'Neill acknowledges the "difficult task" of reclaiming the title, urging January signings to bolster key positions amid deeper squad issues predating Nancy, including unfulfilled demands from ex-boss Brendan Rodgers.[3] Despite recent defeats, O'Neill's prior interim success—seven wins in eight games—instills hope for a galvanizing run, starting against Dundee United.[4]

The article backs retaining O'Neill and Maloney post-season in new capacities, praising their synergy and experience amid speculation on permanent options like Kieran McKenna.[2][5] This approach could provide stability after Celtic's fourth managerial change this season, allowing time for a thorough successor search while leveraging proven figures to steady the ship.[2]

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