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Celtic coach attends European match of Hoops-linked manager as speculation grows

Jonny Hayes and Scott Brown were spotted at a match managed by Robbie Keane, fuelling speculation that he could make the move to Parkhead.
Ferencvarosi TC v SC Braga - UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg
Ferencvarosi TC v SC Braga - UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg | David Balogh - UEFA/GettyImages

Speculation is going wild on social media after Celtic legend Scott Brown and B-team coach Jonny Hayes attended the match of a Hoops-linked manager.

Both were in attendance as Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros pulled off a massive penalty win in the Magyar Kupa semi-final. Hayes posted a photo to his Instagram story, and some fans think the timing makes this impossible to be a coincidence.

Keane continues to be one of the frontrunners for the Parkhead dugout, with the Ferencvaros sporting director admitting that he wouldn't stand in his way should Keane want to take the job.

He has developed a good brand of football in Hungary, and it was always inevitable that other clubs would take notice. Supporters are split on his potential appointment though, with most thinking that we can do better.

Thankfully for the people who don't want to see him in Glasgow, there may be another reason as to why two Celtic men attended his match.

Keane works with his assistant Stephen Glass, who is the former manager of Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen. Hayes and Brown worked with him a few years ago, and Brown especially has a long history with him.

With Brown recently leaving Ayr United by mutual agreement, he can now attend these games freely without the pressure of his job. Taking all of these things into consideration, their presence can be explained away.

How does the managerial options look?

Celtic are still on the lookout for a new manager, and nothing has been decided yet. The current frontrunners are Robbie Keane and Jens Berthel Askou; however, more names have popped up recently.

Thomas Frank has shot up in the bookies' odds after his recent sacking at Tottenham Hotspur. Could he do a reverse-Ange Postecoglou and head to Glasgow after his time in London? We'll have to see.

Martin O'Neill's name has emerged recently, especially after he signed Forrest up on a one-year deal. Some fans now think that because of that, and other small comments he has made throughout the season, he could stay at the Hoops for another year.

Berthel Askou has been falling out of favour with the fans after his Motherwell side has been falling apart. Despite good results across the course of the season, they are now winless in their last five, and they could be dethroned of a European spot if Hibernian close the gap, which currently stands at three points.

Whoever takes the mantle will be under the magnifying glass from the first minute. They're going to have a difficult task on their hands, so let's hope it's someone who can handle the pressure.

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