Celtic news: New manager announcement timeline emerges as plan A blown apart

Brendan Rodgers departed as Celtic manager on Monday evening following a dismal 3-1 defeat to Hearts at the weekend, with the search already underway for the next boss of the club

Celtic are already deep into the search for a new manager to take over the reins after Brendan Rodgers quit on Monday night. Fans were left angered following the team’s 3-1 defeat to Hearts but the Northern Irishman’s resignation came as a shock.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond put out a statement following Rodgers’ exit, detailing that the ex-manager’s actions “contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club” and dubbed his words as “divisive, misleading, and self-serving.”

After a 4-0 win over Falkirk on Wednesday night under interim manager Martin O’Neill, Celtic have cut the eight-point lead that Hearts held over them to just six and have a League Cup semi-final against Rangers coming up on Sunday. Despite all that’s going on on the pitch, attention is focused on who will be next in the hot seat at Parkhead.

Here, Mirror Football has all the latest coming out of Celtic Park amid their manager search.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou makes final Celtic return decision after brutal Forest sackingREAD MORE: Neil Warnock slams Celtic shareholder’s damning Brendan Rodgers assessment – ‘Disillusioned’

Timeline emerges – ‘Slip of the tongue’

Interim boss O’Neill admitted his hint of staying at Celtic for longer was a “slip of the tongue” and that the club are looking to have someone in the door as soon as possible. Following the midweek win, the 73-year-old – who managed the club between 2000 and 2005 – discussed striker Johnny Kenny’s performance and his future at the club.

When asked about Kenny’s brace on Wednesday evening, O’Neill said: “That definitely helps. He’s a young lad, he’s making his way in the game, he’s learning his trade as he goes along.

“And I’m maybe hoping for whatever spell I’m here, long or short, it’d be more likely to be short, that he can pick up some.”

When questioned further about potentially staying at Celtic for longer, the Northern Irishman said: “No, no it was a slip of a tongue.”

He claimed that the club are planning to get a new manager in as soon as they can and there isn’t an opportunity for a homecoming to the team on a permanent basis. At Tuesday’s press conference, O’Neill said: “This is definitely interim. They could have a manager in two weeks’ time.

“If we don’t win on Wednesday evening they might even have a new manager on Thursday. Celtic will be looking for a young manager to come in with a very, very decent CV.”

Plan A scrapped

Rodgers’ shock resignation has scrapped plans to approach current Wales manager Craig Bellamy this summer, according to reports. talkSPORT claim that the Celtic hierarchy were planning to sound him out next summer. Rodgers didn’t sign a contract extension ahead of the 2025/26 season, which led to the club discussing future candidates for the job – which included Bellamy.

The Wales head coach has been admired by Celtic during his reign of the national team, where he went his first nine matches unbeaten against the likes of Turkey, Iceland and Montenegro.

As Wales are still able to qualify for next summer’s World Cup, the 46-year-old isn’t likely to walk away mid-campaign. Other names for the job include Kieran McKenna, Robbie Keane, Kjetil Knutsen and Nicky Hayen.

Ange Postecoglou was also tipped to make a stunning return to the club where he won five major honours – including a domestic treble – but Sky Sports News reports that this move is now very unlikely.

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