Neil Lennon is the 3/1 favourite to be the next Celtic manager after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Falkirk.
Celtic are top of the Scottish Premiership and Martin O'Neill is still in charge. Even so, the market on his successor is already busy. Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Falkirk left Celtic with three wins in their last 10 games in all competitions, alongside one draw and six defeats. That has made O'Neill's future the main talking point at Parkhead again.
O'Neill was appointed permanently in June on a one-year deal with an option for a second year, after winning the double as interim boss. Since then Celtic have gone out of Champions League qualifying, lost to Rangers in the League Cup and taken nothing from their first three Europa League games. Chris Sutton said on Sky Sports after Falkirk that "this is all on Martin because he employs the coaches".
Next Celtic Manager Odds
| Selection | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Neil Lennon | 3/1 | BetVictor |
| Shaun Maloney | 4/1 | BetVictor |
| Robbie Keane | 5/1 | BetVictor |
| Craig Bellamy | 5/1 | BetVictor |
| Scott Brown | 12/1 | BetVictor |
| Roberto Martinez | 16/1 | BetVictor |
| Kjetil Knutsen | 16/1 | BetVictor |
| Steve Clarke | 16/1 | BetVictor |
| Thomas Frank | 20/1 | BetVictor |
| Alex Neil | 20/1 | BetVictor |
| Rob Edwards, Sean Dyche, Scott Parker | 25/1 | BetVictor |
| Kieran McKenna, Ange Postecoglou and others | 33/1 | BetVictor |
Odds are subject to fluctuation and correct as of 09:15 GMT, Tuesday 3 November. See the full next permanent Celtic manager market on Oddschecker.
Who Is the Favourite to Be the Next Celtic Manager?
Neil Lennon is favourite at 3/1, which implies a 25% chance. He managed Celtic from 2010 to 2014 and again from 2019 to 2021, and captained the club as a player. He's now in charge at Dunfermline, whom he took to last season's Scottish Cup final, where they lost to Celtic. He signed a new two-year contract there in July, so Celtic would have to pay to get him.
Shaun Maloney is second favourite at 4/1, about 20%. He is O'Neill's assistant and has managed Hibernian and Wigan. He was also Roberto Martínez's assistant with Belgium. Promoting him would be the simplest move if Celtic made a change mid-season.
Robbie Keane and Craig Bellamy are joint third favourites at 5/1, about 17% each. Keane held talks with the club in the summer before O'Neill was kept on. He has been out of work since leaving Ferencvaros after winning the Hungarian league and cup, but many supporter groups oppose him. Bellamy would have to leave the Wales job, where he is contracted until Euro 2028.
With 45 names priced, no one is a clear favourite. The top four together account for roughly 79% of the book.
Martin O'Neill's Celtic Future: The Next Two Fixtures
Celtic are four points clear of Rangers, although Rangers have a game in hand, and O'Neill has pointed to that lead. "We're still top of the league," he said after Falkirk. No outlet is reporting that the board is about to act.
The next week matters for him. Celtic host Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday 5 November at 20:00 GMT, and the Green Brigade ultras are boycotting European home games in protest at the board. Kilmarnock visit Celtic Park on Sunday 8 November at 16:00 GMT, and the international break follows. If results don't improve by then, the market is likely to keep moving.
