The connection between Celtic and Ireland needs no introduction. And it looks like one of the Hoops' former coaches has emerged as the favourite to be appointed as the next manager of the Irish national team. Helmir Hallgrimsson is currently in charge but it looks like there is a good chance he will be shown the exit door in the near future.
Of course, those associated with Celtic have been Irish national team managers in the recent past. Two names that come to mind immediately are Martin O'Neill and Mick McCarthy.
And now, Damien Duff has been named in the media as the favourite to be the next manager of the Ireland national team. It remains to be seen if he ends up getting the job or not.
Duff spent time at Celtic coaching, both at the B team level and the senior team. His most recent spell was at Shelbourne and it came as a shock when he ended up leaving, not too long after guiding them to silverware.
Former Celtic man named favourite to be next Ireland manager
There is no doubt that Duff has coaching ability. And if he does end up getting the Ireland job, it should not come as a surprise to anybody.
Many would feel that he does not have the experience to manage at the international level yet. That being said, in modern football, there are a lot of managers who have gotten top jobs straight out of the gate and done well. So, it would be a mistake to count anyone out, especially considering his success at Shelbourne and experience of coaching at clubs like Celtic.
In the past, he was part of the national team setup as well, albeit in a coaching role. So, he would be familiar with the players too.