David Sneyd

“CARNAGE.”

That was the assessment of Celtic’s situation by one official at a top Premier League club this morning.

But as people began to digest the news of Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, Martin O’Neill’s interim appointment, and then shareholder Dermot Desmond’s blistering statement, not everyone was surprised by the manner of the fallout.

Alarm bells were ringing back in January when Rodgers was on the lookout for a new striker. He spoke with a contact at a top flight club in England and looked to sort a loan deal for an international striker who was on the fringes of the first team and keen for regular football.

Strong, young and athletic, on the face of it the player in question was just what Rodgers was looking for.

The Celtic boss was the point of contact for the move, and while Jay Lefevre was the head of scouting operations, Rodgers was the one driving things to try and get it done. But a deal never materialised as it became apparent in discussions that the striker would not be a good fit in Glasgow.

Celtic did welcome a forward back to the club in January but it was Johnny Kenny who was returning after his successful loan spell with Shamrock Rovers.

Rodgers, though, wanted more and the manner of those dealings in January left a lasting impression at the particular Premier League club in question.

In his scathing statement, Desmond’s defended how Celtic supported their manager and laid out how recruitment worked. “Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.

“In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process — including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.”

Rodgers is now gone and Paul Tisdale, appointed as Celtic’s head of football operations in October 2024, is understood to have been one of his key allies and would not have had strong ties to the hierarchy above.

Indeed, it’s understood that when Celtic eventually did end up signing striker Kelechi Iheanacho – who Rodgers worked with at Leicester City – in the summer, non-executive chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive officer Michael Nicholson were somewhat blindsided as communication with Rodgers was so limited.

The pair, along with former Exeter City boss Tisdale, will want a stronger say in who does eventually become the permanent replacement.

While O’Neill’s return on an interim basis provides a nostalgic figurehead to try and inspire a reaction from a squad that are eight points adrift of league leaders Hearts, the presence of Shaun Maloney as part of the ticket has the potential to become a more lasting solution provided they prove successful.

Maloney, a former Celtic player, of course, has been back at Parkhead as a player pathway manager and while his spells in charge of Wigan Athletic and Hibernian were not a success, his time working under Robert Martinez when he was boss of the Belgian national team have heavily influenced how he operates.

Those who worked with him previously say Maloney could thrive at Celtic and will be under serious consideration for the top job provided performances improve and results follow.

Kieran McKenna is a far more established name and he was reported to be high on the candidate list, but that would require a considerable financial package to not just entice him from Ipswich Town but also get him out of a new contract he signed after turning down the chance to become Chelsea boss in the summer of 2024.

It’s understood that Rodgers’ basic salary in Glasgow was less than the estimated £2 million plus per year McKenna collects at the Championship club, who have serious designs on returning to the Premier League after their relegation.

Celtic are also not wasting time in wanting to speak with other coaches, and The 42 understands that they have requested permission from Chelsea to talk to their U21 head coach Calum McFarlane about joining the coaching ticket at Parkhead.

The 39-year-old began at Manchester City before joining Southampton and Chelsea only brought him to Stamford Bridge in July of this year. He is viewed as a rising star within the Chelsea multi-club model but it’s believed they have reluctantly agreed to allow him discuss his future with the Scottish giants, although talks have yet to take place.

For the time being it’s back to the future with O’Neill, as Celtic search for some immediate inspiration.