Powered by Roundtable

The 45-year-old manager has been tipped as the 'number one candidate' for the Celtic job when Martin O'Neill leaves.

Even though there are just four games left to play for Celtic this season, there is still a lot up for grabs. The league title race might be down to two horses now with the Rangers falling significantly behind after their defeat at the hands of Hearts.

Now, the Rangers will be looking to prevent Celtic from winning when they meet at Parkhead this weekend. Of course, the Hoops will know that they have a tough fight on their hands, even though their Glasgow rivals are set to finish trophyless.

In the last nine derbies, Celtic have not won once within 90 minutes. Two of their three victories in that period have come on penalties. Another was decided in extra time. On the other hand, the Rangers have won thrice and three contests have ended in a draw.

Celtic cannot afford any of those results this weekend. They need to win within 90 minutes plus added time and take home all three points. Anything less and Hearts might start counting themselves as good as champions.

Then there is the Scottish Cup final as well, when Martin O'Neill will take on Neil Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic.

That will be O'Neill's last game in charge of Celtic, and most probably his last as a manager. Let's hope he gets to finish his storied career with two more pieces of silverware.

Then, it is up to Celtic to find a proper replacement. The last time they tried to do that, they brought in Wilfried Nancy, and we all know how that turned out. Let's hope their scouting is much better on this occasion.

Robbie Keane is one of the managers who has been linked with the job on a consistent basis, going back to before Nancy was hired.

And it has been suggested that he might even be the number one candidate. According to the Daily Record, Don Hutchinson said:

"If he comes back, he's going to want years on his contract so he can put a project in and build.

"So I think if Martin O'Neill left, Robbie Keane would be a fantastic signing. I think he'd probably be the number one candidate, actually."

Keane has spent time playing for Celtic, albeit only on loan. But that was a successful stint nonetheless.

As a manager, he has shown a ton of promise as well and proven that he can win things, which will be vital for any manager who wants the Celtic job.

Keane will also be aware of the standards at a club like Celtic. The constant need to win games. That is something that Nancy never seemed to understand.

Of course, there is a large section of the fanbase who would not be particularly delighted if Keane is the one who ends up getting the job. Let's just wait and see what happens.

Join The Conversation

Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers. Scroll up to the top of the page and click 'Join'.

Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favourite teams and news!