Who’s in line to be Celtic manager next season?

Neil Lennon returned to the Scottish Champions Celtic in February to manage the club through to the end of the season, after Brendan Rodgers decided he needed a change of scenery and accepted the manager’s job at Leicester City.

Celtic are still on course for the treble-treble, so the board appointed Lennon knowing he has the required skill and experience at the club to bring in the trophies to secure the achievement.

With Lennon’s contract up in May, there are plenty of big names that are being linked with the Scottish giants. We take a look at all the names linked and see who is favourite to take the role next term.

The leading contenders

A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but so far, so good for Lennon in his second stint in charge at Celtic Park.

In the four games he’s managed since he’s been back in the Celtic spotlight, he’s led the Bhoys to three wins and a draw in all competitions.

He’s taken them through to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup after a 2-0 win over Hibernian, while extending their league lead over second-place Rangers to 10 points.

Lennon was an iconic figure in his first spell at the club, and after a frantic touchline sprint to celebrate a 94th-minute winner over Dundee last time out, he’s only strengthening his status as an all-time Celtic Park great. He’s currently the odds-on front-runner to be at the helm on the opening day of next season at 10/11.

Somewhat surprisingly, Belgium boss Roberto Martinez is just behind Lennon in the running for the role at 4/1. Martinez guided the Red Devils to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He also has previous league experience at Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton. He took Swansea to a League One championship during the 2007/08 season, and won the FA Cup at Wigan in 2012/13, beating Manchester City in the final.

Marco Rose and David Moyes are next in the running, sitting at 5/1 and 6/1 respectively. Rose has been manager at Red Bull Salzburg since 2017 where he boasts an impressive 69% win ratio.

Moyes has a whole wealth of managerial experience at the very top level, though his last few roles have seen him struggle. He’s previously managed Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham.

A club legend for the hot seat?

Henrik Larsson enjoyed some of the best football of his career at Celtic as a player, but could he be ready to step back into the Celtic Park dug-out and take the managers seat?

The Swede has had previous club management experience, with his best years coming at his first club Landskrona BoIS between 2009 and 2012 with a 40% win ratio.

He’d be welcomed back by the Celtic Park faithful as one of the club’s all-time greats, but would he want to risk tarnishing a reputation if it ends in failure? He’s a 12/1 outside shot for the post.

Roy Keane may have only been a Celtic player for a short spell before retiring on medical advice, but he quickly became a fan favourite due to his leadership and abrasive style.

The Irishman has recently linked back up with Mick McCarthy as an assistant coach for the Republic of Ireland, but if a managerial role came up that he was interested, he could be tempted to give it another go. He’s 18/1 with us.

Poaching Premier League experience?

David Wagner recently stepped down at Huddersfield after a poor run of form saw their hopes of Premier League survival fade. But he managed the unimaginable in getting the Terriers promoted to the top flight in the first place.

As a former Borussia Dortmund II manager, he’s got good enough experience to take the role, and with the squad the Hoops have, may be a good fit. He’s among the front-runners at 10/1.

Slaven Bilic and Jose Mourinho may have been out of work for a little while and are trying their hand at TV punditry, but both managers have had successful season in the past in the toughest league in world football.

Mourinho led Chelsea to three league titles and other domestic successes, but is an unlikely outsider to cross the border and take the Celtic job at 28/1.

Bilic hasn’t won trophies as a manager in England, but under his guidance in the 2015/16 Premier League campaign, he took West Ham to a seventh-place finish and achieved European football for the Hammers to begin their life at the London Stadium in style. He’s 20/1.

Andre Villas-Boas has been out of work since he left Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG in 2017. Before this, he’d had a hugely successful year-long spell at Porto, winning the treble. Brief and unsuccessful spells at Chelsea and Tottenham followed, before taking Zenit to three trophies in two seasons.

Could it be time for AVB to step back into the manager’s hot-seat again? He’s 20/1.

Celtic manager on opening day of 2019/20 season

Neil Lennon – 10/11
Roberto Martinez – 4/1
Marco Rose – 5/1
David Moyes – 6/1
David Wagner – 10/1
Steve Clarke – 10/1
Alex Neil – 12/1
Derek McInnes – 12/1
Henrik Larsson – 12/1
Roy Keane – 18/1
Slaven Bilic – 18/1
Andre Villas-Boas – 20/1

Click here for the latest Celtic managerial odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.