Some institutions are not held together by contracts or appointments, but by belief. By the quiet understanding that certain values must endure regardless of circumstance. For those bound to Celtic, identity is inherited long before explanation is required. It lives in memory, in ritual, in an unspoken promise that the club will always strive to be more than the sum of its parts.
Yet even the most storied traditions face moments of fracture. Times when patience thins, certainty dissolves, and the future feels suspended between hope and doubt. These are the moments that invite strong voices, force hard truths into the open, and remind everyone that stability is not granted — it is earned.
That sense of fragility deepened as Celtic confirmed the dismissal of Wilfried Nancy barely a month into his tenure. A brief and turbulent chapter closed after just one win from eight matches, leaving behind frustration, confusion, and a growing feeling that the experiment had unravelled almost as soon as it began.
Nancy’s spell never found rhythm. Performances lacked conviction, results drained confidence, and the disconnect between vision and execution became impossible to ignore. Supporters grew restless, while questions quietly emerged over whether the squad itself had truly bought into his methods.
With the noise growing louder, Celtic turned inward — back to familiarity, back to trust. Martin O’Neill has been handed a second interim role this season, tasked with restoring calm and guiding the club through to the campaign’s conclusion. The message is clear: steadiness first, decisions later.
Behind closed doors, there is little appetite for another rushed appointment. The scars of the Nancy experiment remain fresh, and the club appears determined to wait until summer before committing to a long-term successor.
Still, speculation refuses to rest. Robbie Keane’s name has once again surfaced, reigniting a debate that has simmered since Brendan Rodgers’ departure. Previously linked with the role, Keane had insisted he was content at Ferencváros, though uncertainty continues to hang over whether that stance could change.
Into this haze of rumour stepped Rod Stewart — lifelong Celtic supporter and a voice synonymous with passion and conviction. His reaction was swift, public, and unequivocal.
“ZERO CHANCE.”
Stewart expressed relief at Nancy’s exit and threw his full support behind Martin O’Neill seeing out the remainder of the season, dismissing suggestions that the club should pivot toward Keane in the immediate future.
“THIS CLUB NEEDS CALM AND EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW, NOT ANOTHER RISK.”
The words landed heavily, resonating with supporters exhausted by upheaval and wary of repeating recent mistakes. Yet the timing made the message even more provocative given Keane’s growing reputation on the managerial stage.
League titles in Israel and Hungary. Immediate impact in his first seasons. A Ferencváros side sitting just one point off the top of the Hungarian league and unbeaten in Europe this season. On paper, his credentials are difficult to ignore.
But Celtic is rarely about paper alone. It is about timing. About fit. About trust.
“GETTING IT WRONG AGAIN WOULD COST MORE THAN POINTS.”
For some supporters, Keane represents bold progression. For others, uncertainty at a moment when the club craves reassurance. The divide is real, the tension unmistakable.
As O’Neill takes charge once more, every decision will be weighed, every rumour dissected. The silence from the boardroom only fuels the mystery, leaving fans suspended between patience and anticipation.
Nothing is settled. Nothing is confirmed. Yet everything feels delicately poised.
And when a club like Celtic pauses between past and future, the waiting can be as dramatic as any decision that follows.
