First Enzo Maresca, then Ruben Amorim, and now Wilfried Nancy. It’s fair to say that 2026 is not a great year to be a football manager as the brutal round of high-profile sackings continues. After losing six of his eight matches, Celtic boss Nancy was the latest name to receive his marching orders, marking the shortest managerial reign in the club’s history. The question now turns to who will take over the Parkhead hotseat?
Nancy arrived at the club in early December as he took over a red-hot Hoops side from interim boss Martin O’Neill. However, the Frenchman lasted just 33 days in Glasgow before receiving his P45 following a dreadful run of form.
Seven minutes of his short reign were dedicated to an extraordinary press conference rant last Friday, in which the 48-year-old hit back at his critics and vowed to battle on.
Unfortunately for Nancy, his time at Celtic has run out. The Frenchman has been booted out of Glasgow, along with his three assistants. In fact, the situation has been so bad, the club have also sacked the man who brought Nancy to the club in the first place, head of football operations Paul Tisdale.
Next Celtic Manager Odds
Celtic are now on the lookout for their fourth manager this season, leaving us with no option but to search through some of the best online bookies to compile a list of possible replacements.
| Next Celtic Manager | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Martin O’Neill | 3/1 | bet365 |
| Shaun Maloney | 11/4 | William Hill |
| Ange Postecoglou | 6/1 | bet365 |
| Brian Barry-Murphy | 14/1 | BetVictor |
| Kevin Muscat | 14/1 | William Hill |
| Gary O’Neil | 14/1 | BetVictor |
| Kieran McKenna | 14/1 | BetVictor |
| Jens Berthel Askou | 16/1 | bet365 |
| Nicky Hayen | 16/1 | BetVictor |
| Robbie Keane | 20/1 | bet365 |
| Kjetil Knutsen | 20/1 | bet365 |
*Odds correct at 16:40 GMT on 05/01/2025. Odds subject to change.
Martin O’Neill
Nobody will be surprised to see Martin O’Neill at the top of the list. The club legend returned to Parkhead last October as he replaced the outgoing Brendan Rodgers.
The Northern Irishman stabilised the club and led the Hoops to seven wins from eight games, including a 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Rangers in the semi-final of the League Cup.
At the age of 73, O’Neill doesn’t offer a long-term solution to Celtic’s problems, though considering how well his interim spell went, he would certainly be a popular pick with the frustrated fanbase.
Shaun Maloney
Former Celtic player Shaun Maloney was O’Neill’s assistant during his epic run as interim boss. With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see the 42-year-old priced as second-favourite.
The former winger enjoyed two managerial gigs since hanging up his boots, leading Hibernian for 19 matches back in 2022 before enjoying a far more successful spell with Wigan between 2023 and 2025.
Maloney won eight major titles with Celtic and reached the UEFA Cup final as a player. The Scotsman will now be looking to make a similar impact from the dugout as he hopes to fill this latest managerial vacancy.
Ange Postecoglou
Are we about to witness an unprecedented reunion at Celtic Park? Ange Postecoglou enjoyed a sensational run with the club, winning 83 of his 113 games in charge and claiming five major titles along the way.
Having proved himself in Scotland, the Aussie crossed the southern border and tried his luck in the Premier League. That, however, ended in a bit of a disaster after leading Tottenham to their worst-ever finish in the league before being sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days.
Returning to Celtic could provide Postecoglou with a much-needed restart in his managerial career. It would also represent a popular move with the fans.
