Celtic’s search for a permanent manager to lead them into the 2026/27 season will be well underway behind the scenes, with the board facing one of the most consequential appointments in the club’s recent history.
This has already been a season of three different managers at Celtic Park. Martin O’Neill is serving his second caretaker stint following the departures of Brendan Rodgers and the ill-fated Wilfried Nancy, whose brief reign proved to be a costly and damaging episode. O’Neill has steadied the ship admirably, guiding the club to the Scottish Cup semi-finals with Sunday’s penalty shootout victory over Rangers at Ibrox, but he will step away at the end of the campaign. The board cannot afford another misstep, and the pressure to get the next appointment right is enormous.
The key question is whether Celtic go for a bigger, more established name or opt for someone with proven knowledge of the Scottish Premiership. Several names have been mentioned, including Roberto Martinez, Robbie Keane and even a sensational return for Ange Postecoglou, but former Celtic player Paul Slane has suggested that Jens Berthel Askou is the man the club actually want.
Ryan Stevenson, speaking on talkSPORT, added that the Motherwell manager will be desperate to leave Fir Park at the end of the season, which would open the door for interested clubs to move for him.
The 43-year-old Dane has had an impressive campaign with Motherwell, leading them to fourth in the Premiership table, just four and five points behind Rangers and Celtic respectively. More remarkably, he has done it on a fraction of the budget available to the clubs above him. Motherwell have the best defensive record in the top flight, having conceded only 20 goals in 29 games, and share the best goal difference in the division alongside leaders Hearts. He has built a side that is both difficult to beat and capable of playing attractive, structured football.
His credentials were further enhanced by a 2-0 victory over Celtic at the end of December in which his side outclassed and outthought a Hoops team that were tactically second best throughout. If he could replicate that kind of preparation and organisation from the Celtic dugout, the outlook for next season would be considerably brighter.
The step up in expectation and scrutiny would be significant. Celtic demand trophies, Premiership dominance and credible European campaigns, and Askou has not yet managed at a club operating under that kind of pressure. But his track record suggests tactical intelligence and an ability to develop players and build cohesive teams on limited resources. With the right backing in the transfer market and time to implement his ideas, there is a genuine case to be made that he could thrive.