Jackie McNamara believes it’s vital Martin O’Neill keeps his right-hand man as he could one day be destined for top job
Shaun Maloney Interim Celtic assistant boss
Jackie McNamara reckons Shaun Maloney is a Celtic manager of the future.
And the ex-Parkhead hero is adamant it’s crucial Martin O’Neill gets his right-hand man and desired backroom team sealed and in place soon. O’Neill signed his agreement to return to lead Celtic next term after last term’s heroics.
However, as yet, deals for his assistants Maloney and Mark Fotheringham are still to be rubber stamped. Maloney was vital to O’Neill and the coaching set-up during the winning of the Double having moved from his position as Professional Player Pathway Manager.
McNamara and Maloney played together for O’Neill during the gaffer’s first spell at the club and the latter went on to manage at Hibs and Wigan.
The former full-back believes his old colleague could one day take the top job at Parkhead as he explained: “I think he has the potential to do that.
“Shaun is a quiet lad. Actually, when I got asked when Martin first came in, some people disagreed with me, but Shaun had a little taste of management with Hibs and Wigan.
“He has a good idea of the game, a good temperament and knows how he wants to play and wants to do things. It would be one that they were nurturing him through, that possibly could take over at some point.
“I know he’s a different personality to Martin. There are not many people like Martin who have that charisma, stature, and it’s separate.
“Obviously, when you’re a manager, you’re taking all of it rather than just the coaching side. You’re dealing with things that’s not football sometimes and that does change you.
“I do think they’re separate, the coach and the manager. I do think it’s a separate thing altogether where you see Martin as a total manager, managing the players, getting the stuff out of them on matchdays.
“But I do think Shaun possibly could do both in the future.”
McNamara has a clear outlook on Maloney’s skills and continued: “I’ve not worked with him as a coach, but he looks like he’s a very good coach and he’s got respect from the players.
“How he wants to play and how he wants to do things, you can see he’s well respected by the players and how much they trust him. He’s very quiet and he’s a thinker of the game.
“So my thoughts on that hadn’t really changed. I know he’s a different character from Martin, but long-term I do see him as a quite important person for the football club.
“Not just in the dressing room, but outwith, with players coming in and keeping the standards high.”
Shaun Maloney, Assistant Manager of Celtic, Martin O’Neill, Interim Manager of Celtic, and Mark Fotheringham, Assistant Coach(Image: Getty Images)
Given his understanding of Maloney’s work, it’s natural that McNamara sees the importance of deals being agreed and him continuing to work alongside O’Neill.
Gavin Strachan looks set to leave for West Brom, but Fotheringham and Stephen McManus were also in the manager’s set-up.
McNamara says it’s vital to have a strong backroom team having been a boss himself at Partick Thistle, Dundee United and York City and noted: “Yeah, I think it’s important.
“When you’re doing your badges and doing all your stuff there, they tell you not to bring people in that are your friends, whatever. Some people say that, yeah.
“But for me, the most important bit is: Can they do the job? Are they good enough to do the job? And if you can’t say to one of your good friends you need to step up, then he’s not you’re good friend.
“Martin and Shaun are colleagues who have been in and out of each other’s lives in football for a number of years at Celtic and down the road at Aston Villa and the trust is there.
“So I do believe it’s a healthy relationship they’ve got and a trusting one. Because of the way Martin is, he’s a dressing room manager on match days and he obviously has an input with training, but it’s separate.
“That’s where I think it’s been a good group from, with Shaun, Fozzy and McManus at the tail end of the season, just the training.
“Martin’s philosophy was the games. He always used to say you can’t impress me in training and things like that. He was more focused on winning the matches where it really mattered.
“Having been in management myself, I can see why he would say that. Some guys are good trainers, but when it comes to the game, it’s totally different.”
Celtic are back for pre-season next week and McNamara expects confirmed news soon on O’Neill staff as he added: “Normally these things are done without being out there in the public domain. It’s kind of done.
“Martin getting announced, you expect it all to be done at the same time. Hopefully it’s not an issue and it’s sorted quickly. I see Gavin Strachan has left to go to West Brom, it was in the reports. But I think it is crucial for Martin to have his guys there he wants.
“I’d expect it to be done. I think maybe it’s a surprise that it’s come out that it’s not been resolved. Because Martin’s been announced, so you would expect it to be what Martin wants and, with his backroom staff, it will be sorted.
“It’s just taking a bit longer than what it should, but I’d be surprised if Martin didn’t get the guys back in and sorted.”
**Jackie McNamara was speaking as the fixtures for the 2026/27 William Hill SPFL season were announced.
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