Celtic

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Former Celtic midfielder Shaun Maloney has been through a "whirlwind" 24 hours as he joins Martin O'Neill in interim charge following Brendan Rodgers' departure.

Maloney, who was appointed as the club's professional player pathway manager in the summer, will take a break from that role to link up with his former boss O'Neill as Celtic search for Rodgers' successor.

"It was a traumatic day for everyone. Not just at the stadium but at the training ground as well," the 43-year-old said.

"They've lost some brilliant people but you have to move on pretty quickly. After speaking with Martin, it was about trying to bring stability to the club.

"The last 24 hours have been a bit of a whirlwind but it was really, really east to say yes to Martin because of what he's done for me and my family."

When asked if Maloney had ambitions to take on the job permanently, Maloney said: "No, [I'm] nowhere near anything long term.

"I came back here in a role with the board and then Brendan so at this present time no.

"I'm going to try my best to support Martin and the players but this is interim and then I'll go back to my role."

Celtic welcome Falkirk to Parkhead on Wednesday night before Sunday's League Cup semi-final against Rangers.

And Maloney insists he'll be relying on some key players to steady the ship.

"There's some experienced guys, Callum [McGregor], James [Forrest], Kieran [Tierney].

"I relied heavily on them this morning. Alistair Johnston is a really big part of the group, so is Cameron [Carter-Vickers] but he had surgery yesterday.

"[There are] enough guys who have experienced days like today. We relied heavily on them this morning and we'll rely heavily on them tomorrow night."

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Celtic interim management team Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney have been speaking to the media before their first game in charge against Falkirk on Wednesday night.

Here are the main points:

• O'Neill says he knew about the appointment "less than 24 hours ago" but is "really excited" to get started and "try and do as well as I can".

• He says it's "a bit surreal" to be back managing Celtic but is "genuinely excited" to take charge of his first game.

• The 73-year-old returning manager says the events of the last 24 hours have been "quite stunning" but he again played down any suggestion of taking over longer term.

• O'Neill adds it's "really sad" to see the breakdown in relationship between the board and Rodgers, who has "done terrifically well" during both spells at Celtic.

• The interim boss hopes he can "get everybody going in the same direction" at Celtic and knows "winning games of football" is the best way to do it.

• When asked about his comments on Monday that Hearts can win the title, O'Neill insists he "stands by" everything he said but jokes he "wouldn't have said anything" had he known a call from Celtic was coming a few hours later.

• The Northern Irishman is hoping he can get the side "creating more chances" and will "strive as hard as we can" to get the club back to the levels he saw against Bayern Munich back in February.

• On the semi-final against Rangers, O'Neill says he "cannot possibly think about that game", stressing everybody's full focus is on their midweek fixture against Falkirk.

• O'Neill sends his well wishes to John Kennedy, who also departed the club on Monday night after a lengthy spell in the coaching department.

• O'Neill stresses he will rely heavily on Maloney in the coming games as he "knows the players far better" than himself.

• The interim boss also states he will have "no input at all" in choosing the next manager.

• Maloney admits it was a "difficult" and "traumatic" day for everyone involved with the club as they have "lost some brilliant people" but stresses they "have to move on pretty quickly".

• The 42-year-old also played down any links to the permanent job, insisting he is "nowhere near" anything longer term.

• Maloney reveals the dressing room are relying on experienced players such as Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Kieran Tierney as well as Alistair Johnston. He notes Cameron Carter-Vickers will also have a big part to play but the centre-back had surgery yesterday so has been missing from the group.

• But Maloney stresses it's the senior players who will be "relied and demanded upon" for the upcoming games.

• The former Celtic midfielder says it has been a "whirlwind" 24 hours but insists it was "really easy to say yes" to joining O'Neill "because of what he's done for me and my family".

Caleb Akpo-Young
BBC Sport Scotland

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John McGlynn does not believe Celtic's new caretaker management team of Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney will have time to implement any major changes before Falkirk visit on Wednesday.

The Bairns will be the first team to face Celtic since it was announced on Monday that Brendan Rodgers had resigned.

Falkirk boss McGlynn, who was a scout for Celtic during Rodgers' first spell at Parkhead, said: "The only difference will be that Brendan Rodgers is not in the dugout. I don't think that changing manager will have a big difference on the team, basically because Shaun's only had today to do something with them.

"I don't suppose he would have had anything to do with it yesterday [Monday] so they've got one training session, not an awful lot of time, to organise the team in a different way.

"Our preparation regarding Celtic was going to be difficult anyway because I think they will have one eye on the game on Sunday [League Cup semi-final against Rangers] which is a huge game.

"Obviously they don't want to fall any further back in the league, but between playing Falkirk and playing Rangers in a semi-final, I think that's the game that's absolutely huge for them.

"And so whether they rest players or whatever, no matter who the manager was, that would have been something that we've been trying to overcome all week.

"But I don't think the style is going to change because I don't think Shaun will have any time to do that.

"I don't think they have the players to come in who would change the way they can play, and by that I mean it's not like they're going to produce a 6ft 5ins striker and kick the ball long to him."

Tino
Fan writer

It has been a turbulent few months at Celtic, but last night's extraordinary events took the drama to levels rarely seen at the club in modern times.

That Brendan Rodgers would leave with immediate effect - a decision seemingly of his own making - was perhaps the least surprising twist. Dermot Desmond's astonishing follow-up statement truly stole the headlines.

In a lengthy late-night tirade, the club's dominant shareholder came out swinging at his former colleague, accusing Rodgers of being "divisive, misleading and self-serving".

It was a ruthless move that completely undermines recent claims there was no rift between the boardroom and dugout.

Having shocked many by returning for a second stint in charge, it's fair to say Rodgers won't be back for a third, not while Desmond remains at the helm anyway.

And that, in a nutshell, is where Celtic find themselves today.

Despite the presence of Michael Nicholson as CEO, Chris McKay as CFO, and a host of other board members, it's clear that when Dermot Desmond wants something done, it simply gets done.

That's not how a modern, progressive football club should operate, and the fact one man holds such power should be deeply concerning to many Celtic supporters.

For now, though, all we can do - and will do - is get fully behind returning hero Martin O'Neill as he and Shaun Maloney work to steady the ship and keep the season on course for whoever takes over in the long term.

There's a growing sense Maloney may be being primed as the next man in charge, but the club must surely cast the net wider to seek a fresh, forward-thinking manager who can restore high standards. Someone who can reignite our pursuit of five in a row and beyond.

The days and weeks ahead are crucial. How Celtic respond now may define the club's future – short, medium and long term.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

Former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is the early favourite to replace Brendan Rodgers on a permanent basis - but is he the right choice?

Martin O'Neill has ruled himself of the running while fellow interim manager Shaun Maloney could be a contender.

Other names in the frame include Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna, Kjetil Knutsen of Bodo/Glimt, Wales manager Craig Bellamy and former Celtic strikers Robbie Keane and Damien Duff.

As Celtic search for a permanent manager, we want to know who you want for the role.

Tell us here.

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Paul Lambert says Celtic's players must shoulder some of the blame for the departure of manager Brendan Rodgers - and for the reigning champions sitting eight points behind Hearts in the Premiership.

The former Celtic midfielder realises "animosity" between Rodgers and major shareholder Dermot Desmond and the club's board played its part.

But he told BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast: "You can hide behind all this nonsense that's going on. But, as soon as you step over that white line, you perform. And they, the lads, for one reason or another, have not been performing.

"Brendan's done, overall, a really good job there. I think the players have to take a wee bit of responsibility themselves.

"You don't play for the manager, you play for the club, you play for the fans, for your team-mates. You never, ever play for the manager. That's 100%.

"You love playing for managers and you love playing for guys that you like, but you never, ever play for a manager. Your professional pride takes you through that."

Meanwhile, Lambert told fans wanting changes to the board, or the departure of Desmond, to look at the example of Rangers since their recent takeover as a warning.

"Those guys have not come in and set the heather on fire and that's the 49ers," he said. "So you've got to be careful what you wish for.

"Sometimes I think you're better with the devil you've got.

"They've had it their own way for the last 10, 15 years. I think they're just going through a little hard time at the minute. It will settle down once they get results again."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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With his usual heartwarming wit, Martin O'Neill admitted he had to haul himself off the floor before agreeing to come back to Celtic.

He wasn't the only one left mind-blown on Monday at O'Neill's return to management in Glasgow.

The revered Irishman is still lauded in these parts, and no matter what happens during this "absolutely interim" spell, that will not change.

Few folks could openly admit in the morning it is "Hearts' time" for the title and then take the reins at Celtic in the evening. But O'Neill can and has.

Most sections of the support will not have issue with his words. Where the issue lies is the timing.

O'Neill's comments strongly suggest he had no idea of an imminent return. But Dermot Desmond's scathing statement suggests his - and the club's - relationship with Brendan Rodgers had been on the rocks for a while. Who would've guessed it?...

In the hours that have passed since that mad Monday night, many are coming to think Rodgers' exit was the best for all parties. That the writing was on the wall.

As true or otherwise as that may be, the interim appointment of O'Neill - and Shaun Maloney - appears much more knee jerk.

Were the club banking on John Kennedy stepping up to fill the void again?

The hush around his exit is particularly telling for many. This is a man who has stood by multiple managers, and the club, when he reportedly had chances to be the main man elsewhere.

A 27-year stay at the club ended without even a mention, never mind a thanks in the first statement of the night.

More than a few things have left a bad taste in supporters' mouths from Monday night's communications.

Should the next formal notice be of Rodgers' permanent successor, Celtic must ensure it is received in better light.

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Jackie McNamara insists Shaun Maloney has "great pedigree" after his former Celtic team-mate was put in interim charge alongside Martin O'Neill.

Former Scotland full-back McNamara believes the familiar faces can "steady the ship" following Brendan Rodgers' resignation.

Maloney returned to Celtic in June as professional player pathway manager and McNamara told BBC Radio Scotland: "They'll have seen Shaun around the training ground, they'll have seen him at the games.

"They'll know there's a wee bit of continuity there and obviously I think [Gavin] Strachan's still there and the goalie coach Woodsy [Stevie Woods].

"There's not drastic change. They'll just be looking for guidance at this point and just to steady the ship and take the pressure off, because it was boiling over.

"It's an old saying, you're only as good as your players."

Maloney did not last long as a manager with either Hibernian or Wigan Athletic.

However, McNamara added: "Derek McInnes got sacked at Aberdeen and look how he's done since then.

"If you've got the right players and the right recruitment and you've got the management skills that Martin's got and Shaun. I like Shaun's philosophy in the game.

"He's worked under Roberto Martinez before and with the Belgium national team. He's got great pedigree, Shaun, he knows the club inside out."

Here are more of your comments on Brendan Rodgers' Celtic resignation and major shareholder Dermot Desmond's explosive criticism of the outgoing manager.

Richard: The board desperately trying not to take any responsibility whatsoever for the mess even though: 1. They're in charge. 2. They appointed the manager. Hearts must be laughing!

Jed: The degree of ferocity of Dermot Desmond's personal attack on Rodgers is tantamount to an admission of his own culpability.

Mr C D: When two people can't sit down and iron out there differences there is something wrong, but Rogers has been there two years and only now something is amiss. I've always said never go backwards to a team you have previously managed.

Hugh: "Every pound generated by the club is reinvested towards those goals and the continuous improvement of Celtic." Does anyone actually believe that statement from Dermot Desmond? It is though a strategic statement by Desmond. The AGM is in November and Rodgers is the last person the board want sitting at the top table.

Edwin: Rodgers broke the golden rule - Defend your bosses in public and disagree with them in private.

Hector: Third season boring football is the Rodgers way so I'm not disappointed he's walked. Replacing Kyogo and Kuhn with Kenny and Yamada is on the board and they have to take responsibility for that, they should follow Brendan out the door. O'Neill and Maloney meh, obviously wish them all the best but its all very uninspired, and as much as I love the man, I hope they leave Ange to his retirement.

Former Celtic captain Paul Lambert thinks the Scottish champions have "pulled a rabbit out the hat" by persuading Martin O'Neill to return as interim manager after the departure of Brendan Rodgers.

The 73-year-old won three league titles, three Scottish Cups and one League Cup with Celtic and also led the club to the 2003 Uefa Cup final.

Lambert, who was skipper of that team that lost to Porto in Lisbon, spoke to the man he still calls "gaffer" on Tuesday morning and told him "you'll be made a hero until the football starts. He 100% knows that".

Lambert says bringing in someone "who in most people's eyes is probably the most successful manager since Jock Stein" will "soften the blow" for any supporters disappointed to see Rodgers leave.

"The fans will think he can walk on water," Lambert told BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast. "They thought he could walk on water when he was there.

"I know how he works, I know how he does things, there's no better man to go and do it. The only difference being is he's not got the same group of players - we were strong in every department."

Lambert thought it was "a masterstroke" by Celtic to appoint O'Neill the first time and it could be again despite the current squad not being as strong.

"I think at that time we needed a manager like him to come in," he said. "At that particular time, we needed a manager - somebody that would kick backsides, somebody who would tell us where we're going wrong.

"He tweaked a few things here and there, he brought a few players in and he kept the better ones there. And he got us going.

"What he will do - see if you don't make a tackle, he'll let you know. You don't put the hard yards in first and foremost, if you don't work, then you're going to be in for a hard time, because he's got standards.

"The basics of football is you work hard. You run hard, you try and look out for your opponent then you've got a better chance of winning games.

"Especially at Celtic, you have to win games first and foremost."

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Martin O'Neill has told TalkSport about his shock at being offered the interim position by Celtic: "I took a gasp of breath and thought, is this real or surreal?

"It's difficult really to turn down somebody who gave you the job in the first place when he had really some great options a way back 25 years ago.

"So from that viewpoint, maybe by the time that I pulled myself off the floor, I probably thought then maybe I should do it.

"I think they were probably stunned by the news that Brendan left and as a consequence, they maybe might be obviously seeking a permanent manager."

O'Neill adds: "I think I said that to you a long time ago. I can't emphasise this enough, this is short term, until a permanent manager is appointed.

"I think that Celtic will be searching around, as I said to you, for that young manager with proven ability who has got a bit of a track record. I will just sit in there and keep the seat warm for him."

Read more: O'Neill just 'keeping seat warm'

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Chis Sutton believes bringing Ange Postecoglou back to Celtic as Brendan Rodgers' permanent successor would be a "popular" and "really smart" appointment.

Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney have take the reins on an interim basis, but former Celtic striker Sutton says Postecoglou - who won five out of six trophies in his two-year spell before joining Tottenham in 2023 - could be the answer long term.

"They could [go back]. I think that would be a popular appointment. He's out of work," Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"He was really well respected, did a fantastic job last time around and the football's been pretty drab this season.

"So maybe a bit of Angeball back at Celtic would go down well."

Speaking on Sky Sports, Sutton added: "I think Ange Postecoglou would be a really smart appointment. He was loved the first time round.

"His brand of football went down well in Glasgow. I think that would be a pretty obvious choice, a good choice and bring a lot of positivity back to Celtic, which they need right now."

Sutton says Rodgers' departure was no great shock with Celtic trailing Premiership leaders Hearts by eight points amid turmoil at Parkhead on and off the pitch.

"They need to get back on track this season, but it isn't straightforward this time because whoever is taking over is taking over a squad who are lacking quality. That is the issue," he said.

"January is going to be the interesting month in terms of whether Celtic are able to strengthen. The squad at this moment in time just doesn't have the strength and depth.

"Celtic have got a lot of work to do short term. It's about winning games domestically and in Europe, big [League Cup] semi-final [against Rangers] at the weekend.

"It's not a total, total surprise Brendan Rodgers going. Something felt like it was going to give. It has done, and now it all be interesting to see how it pans out in the next couple of weeks and who the new permanent manager will be."

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We asked for your views on Brendan Rodgers' bombshell Celtic exit and who might replace him.

Here are some of your comments:

Nick: Probably a good thing as the performances lacked energy and guile. Too many excuses being made for a squad of players who should be playing on the front foot and exciting the supporters.

Darcy: Waking up to see that Rodgers has resigned is the best bit of news this Celtic fan has had in years! Didn't enjoy his first spell, don't like the man himself (self-preserving is 100% accurate) and he has shown again that he is a poor coach. Where is the youth, home grown players etc? He's a joke. Welcome back Martin O'Neill, no more passing backwards hopefully.

Jim: I believe Rodgers got the push and did not resign. I think O'Neill was lined up before Rodgers left.

Paul: I don't believe the Dermot Desmond narrative for one minute. The board are blameless... oh come on. That said, Rodgers needed to go simply because he didn't seem to know how to get the best out of the players and the football was boring.

Lee: We would be a laughing stock if we got Ange Postecoglou back in - he is seriously damaged goods. Besides, we need a manager who can do something in Europe, our record over the last few years - including the Ange era - has been nothing short of disgraceful.

Malcolm: Where Egos Dare - too much focus on reputations and blame and not enough care going into the squad or the business side. It is really an unforgivable mess to find ourselves in from a position of strength. The board need to hold themselves accountable, and Rodgers needs to reflect on his strengths and weaknesses as a manager.

Ken: It is the manager's job to get the best out of the available players, deal with injuries and move the team forward. It was clear Brendan was failing on all of the above this season. Recruitment is not the only reason for Celtic's backward steps. Unforgivable that we are eight points behind in the league given what has been invested in players. It is right that Brendan has gone and I feel we will see an improvement of style and results in his absence.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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At the time of his exit in 2005, Martin O'Neill was the most successful Celtic manager since Jock Stein.

In his five seasons at Celtic Park, he won three league titles, three Scottish Cups, and a League Cup.

The two league titles he lost were by margins of a point and a goal.

He also oversaw a record seven consecutive victories in Old Firm derbies, and in season 2003-04 Celtic created a British record of 25 consecutive league victories.

He turned the tide back in Celtic's favour and kicked off the dominance they've enjoyed for the past two decades.

The 73-year-old, whose last management job was a five-month stint at Nottingham Forest in 2019, now assumes interim charge of Celtic as the club search for a new boss.

O'Neill's second game? A League Cup semi-final against Rangers on Sunday after Falkirk visit Parkhead on Wednesday...

Ange Postecoglou, sacked after just eight games in charge of Nottingham Forest, is the bookmakers' favourite to replace the departed Brendan Rodgers and return to the Celtic manager's hotseat. (The Scotsman), external

Only an hour or so before news broke that Brendan Rodgers had walked away from Celtic for a second time, the manager was still exchanging text messages and giving absolutely no indication that he was writing a letter of resignation at the same time. (Daily Record), external

Fears are growing that United States centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers won't kick another ball for Celtic this season after he flew to London for surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon. (Daily Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

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Martin O'Neill's reappearance as Celtic manager - as surreal as it is - can be parked because the biggest 'wow!' moment was the brutal way Dermot Desmond wrote of Brendan Rodgers.

It was a full-blooded attempt at character assassination, a branding of Rodgers as untrustful, a perpetrator of untruths, a spreader of falsehoods; divisive, misleading and unacceptable. "One individual's desire for self-preservation at the expense of others," wrote Desmond.

For somebody who values decorum and places great store in business being done with discretion, if not outright secrecy, this was another illustration of how abnormal things have become at Celtic.

Desmond, the club's most powerful figure, moves in the margins. The absentee totem, the one with the power to make all the major calls he pleases without having the responsibility of justifying them in any public forum.

He does not attend club AGMs, sending his son, Ross, instead. He rarely, if ever, does interviews about Celtic unless they're hagiographic in tone. And even then, he's slow to communicate.

It's exactly how he's wanted it to be. And it's exactly what he went against when going full thermonuclear on Rodgers on Monday.

The directive from the club is that Rodgers resigned, but reading Desmond's invective, line by line, you have to wonder why did he allow it to get this far down the line?

If Rodgers is guilty of all of the things that Desmond is claiming, then it's fair to ask why was the manager not removed?

Desmond has accused him of spinning things in public that did not tally with reality.

He says Rodgers' words "have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable."

What an extraordinary charge, that is. Lawyers might be mobilising as we speak.

Read more: How irretrievable breakdown led to savage separation

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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The first word is - wow.

Which bombshell to begin with? Brendan Rodgers resigning or Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney incoming? Or Dermot Desmond's comments?

Let's go with the former.

Even with everything that's gone on in the early days of this eye-popping season - the Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty, the dreadful transfer window, the lacklustre start to the league that leaves Celtic eight points adrift of Hearts, the comparison of his side to a Honda Civic - this announcement is astonishing.

Not least because Rodgers just over six weeks ago said: "The first time I was here, I probably left because of that [frustration at lack of backing]. But I won't be doing that this time. Absolutely no chance - 100%."

So, why has Rodgers left?

This certainly seems more than a reaction to first back-to-back Scottish Premiership defeats since 2023. And Desmond's statement would support that.

Rodgers has said on more than one occasion, of more than one player, that it was a club signing.

In his explosive, astonishing statement, the major shareholder has utterly rebutted such remarks.

Among the recent fan protests, Rodgers has come out of it relatively unscathed, with anger aimed almost entirely at the board.

Out of the dark, Desmond let loose at Rodgers, saying: "Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving.

"They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board."

Scornful. Searing. Scathing.

Yet perhaps the most striking line of the unbelievable lot reads: "What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual's desire for self-preservation at the expense of others."

The initial reaction would suggest this vehement statement is something of an own-goal from an already under-fire figure.

Worth noting Desmond said "Celtic is greater than any one person".

He and the board have attempted to arrest the turmoil with the interim appointment of fan favourite O'Neill.

Unlike his predecessor, the popular O'Neill ended his first tenure with the club on good terms and will pick up from there too. But only on an interim basis.

Although he is held in the highest esteem, he hasn't been in management since 2019.

The 73-year-old has enjoyed appearances in the media more recently - including hours before the announcement where he tipped Hearts for the title - and even had 'An Evening With' journalist Graham Spiers lined up in two weeks.

With the way this wild season is unfolding, he might still be able to make it.

What stories he'd have to tell...

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Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton tells BBC Radio 5 Live: "It is astonishing but I think there is a general feeling after Brendan Rogers said his piece before the season, didn't get the players in he would have liked, the desired quality, this was rumbling on.

"In press conferences he had little digs and pokes at the fact he didn't get players in, and digs that seemed to be aimed at the board.

"His dissatisfaction was that he wasn't given the team he wanted. When you go back to last season, and the relative success Celtic had in the Champions League, he felt it was about progressing the club and that hasn't happened.

"They have had a poor start to the season, out of the Champions League and even domestically not as dominant as they should have been.

"They lost players, didn't replace them. It has been an unhappy club at the start of this season and there has been a friction between Rogers and the club hierarchy.

"Last week, after the defeat at Dundee, he compared his team to a Honda Civic. That's not going to go down well in the dressing room, I think that was another dig at the club.

"Watching the club on a daily basis and realising they are miles off it, that's the way Celtic have been this season, and he has resigned."

Chris McLaughlin
Scotland sports news correspondent

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We knew that all wasn't well but the resignation of Brendan Rodgers just nine league games into the season is something few saw coming.

He was critical of the board over what he saw as a lack of transfer activity in the summer. Those comments led to some supporters calling for the board to stand down.

But the club's major shareholder Dermot Desmond, in a statement following the resignation, described Rodgers comments as divisive, misleading and self serving.

So, a breakdown in relations between club and manager, coupled with a poor start to the season, and Rodgers' second spell at Celtic is over in the most dramatic of circumstances.

For now, former Martin O'Neill comes in to steady the ship and Celtic start the search, once again, for Rodgers' successor and the stability they hope comes with it.