Calum McFarlane Chelsea u21 coach

Celtic are also not wasting time in wanting to speak with other coaches, and The 42understands that they have requested permission from Chelsea to talk to their U21 head coach Calum McFarlane about joining the coaching ticket at Parkhead.

The 39-year-old began at Manchester City before joining Southampton and Chelsea only brought him to Stamford Bridge in July of this year. He is viewed as a rising star within the Chelsea multi-club model but it’s believed they have reluctantly agreed to allow him discuss his future with the Scottish giants, although talks have yet to take place.

 

We're hiring coaches without a new manager....

This sounds like we're preparing for Maloney long-term as the main guy wi MON as a DoF.

All for it being for the youth side, but as part of the main set up.... something is off here. Link.is behind a pay wall so can't read it.

 

CARNAGE

That was the assessment of Celtic’s situation by one official at a top Premier League club this morning.

But as people began to digest the news of Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, Martin O’Neill’s interim appointment, and then shareholder Dermot Desmond’s blistering statement, not everyone was surprised by the manner of the fallout.

Alarm bells were ringing back in January when Rodgers was on the lookout for a new striker. He spoke with a contact at a top flight club in England and looked to sort a loan deal for an international striker who was on the fringes of the first team and keen for regular football.

Strong, young and athletic, on the face of it the player in question was just what Rodgers was looking for.

The Celtic boss was the point of contact for the move, and while Jay Lefevre was the head of scouting operations, Rodgers was the one driving things to try and get it done. But a deal never materialised as it became apparent in discussions that the striker would not be a good fit in Glasgow.

Celtic did welcome a forward back to the club in January but it was Johnny Kenny who was returning after his successful loan spell with Shamrock Rovers.

Rodgers, though, wanted more and the manner of those dealings in January left a lasting impression at the particular Premier League club in question.

In his scathing statement, Desmond’s defended how Celtic supported their manager and laid out how recruitment worked. “Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.

“In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process — including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.”

Rodgers is now gone and Paul Tisdale, appointed as Celtic’s head of football operations in October 2024, is understood to have been one of his key allies and would not have had strong ties to the hierarchy above.

Indeed, it’s understood that when Celtic eventually did end up signing striker Kelechi Iheanacho – who Rodgers worked with at Leicester City – in the summer, non-executive chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive officer Michael Nicholson were somewhat blindsided as communication with Rodgers was so limited.

The pair, along with former Exeter City boss Tisdale, will want a stronger say in who does eventually become the permanent replacement.

While O’Neill’s return on an interim basis provides a nostalgic figurehead to try and inspire a reaction from a squad that are eight points adrift of league leaders Hearts, the presence of Shaun Maloney as part of the ticket has the potential to become a more lasting solution provided they prove successful.

Maloney, a former Celtic player, of course, has been back at Parkhead as a player pathway manager and while his spells in charge of Wigan Athletic and Hibernian were not a success, his time working under Robert Martinez when he was boss of the Belgian national team have heavily influenced how he operates.

Those who worked with him previously say Maloney could thrive at Celtic and will be under serious consideration for the top job provided performances improve and results follow.

Kieran McKenna is a far more established name and he was reported to be high on the candidate list, but that would require a considerable financial package to not just entice him from Ipswich Town but also get him out of a new contract he signed after turning down the chance to become Chelsea boss in the summer of 2024.

It’s understood that Rodgers’ basic salary in Glasgow was less than the estimated £2 million plus per year McKenna collects at the Championship club, who have serious designs on returning to the Premier League after their relegation.

Celtic are also not wasting time in wanting to speak with other coaches, and The 42understands that they have requested permission from Chelsea to talk to their U21 head coach Calum McFarlane about joining the coaching ticket at Parkhead.

The 39-year-old began at Manchester City before joining Southampton and Chelsea only brought him to Stamford Bridge in July of this year. He is viewed as a rising star within the Chelsea multi-club model but it’s believed they have reluctantly agreed to allow him discuss his future with the Scottish giants, although talks have yet to take place.

For the time being it’s back to the future with O’Neill, as Celtic search for some immediate inspiration.

 

Guessing it'll be to fill the vacancy left by Hammell after his promotion.

 

Surely have to be a first team coaching role, otherwise why would he leave Chelsea youths for our youths?

 

Hammell's role is head of academy coaching so not sure if that's a step up or more involved role to what McFarlane is currently doing at Chelsea

 

Literally no idea what goes on at our club. Our CEO is AWOL amd mute and with everything going on, my sceptical thoughts will remain as we're so incoherent in our ways.

 

Maloney said yesterday he’s interim only.

 

I think Maloney made it clear he doesn’t want the job.

I doubt O’Neill wants a fake DOF job either.

 

So Hammell is moving up, Maloney will revert back, where is McCart going?

Article makes just says as a coach! To leave a great set up at top PL side to come to us who are is conplete disarray, unless its as a first team coach doesn't make sense.

 

Leaving

 

Good decision. Been in the role since 2006 and not really brought through enough players for the 1st team squad.

 

Aye been here far too long

 

We probably need 1st Team Coaches..

As only Strachan remained.

You would have thought to temp him from a good role at Chelsea it will need to be for a full time 1st Team role.

 

We need coaches to replace those who have gone plus when a new manager is in then Martin, Maloney and Fotheringham will be away to previous jobs etc.

Something we’ve needed to do for a long time is bring in young talented coaches who could progress to manager, especially now that Kennedy is gone.

 

Good pedigree but I just don't like how we're doing this before a new manager is in place..

 

As the 2 posts above say, it appears very backwards getting coaches in first, as opposed to a manager, who'd surely want to bring his own coaches in.

Just no confidence in us to do the right thing.

 

Anyone who's worked with Chelsea's youth set up has got to have some talent. They've spent 1billion on players and yet still get youth players starting most games.

If anything it's positive that coaches are being brought in before the manager, it either shows that we have a guy in mind, or better still it shows people are involved in staff recruitment beyond the manager, and therefore we don't have to start from zero every time the manager leaves.

 

Unless we know who's taking charge..