Celtic’s search for a new manager continues.
The manner in which Brendan Rodgers left Celtic wasn’t a good look for anyone, as Dermot Desmond made his feelings pretty clear.
Even though Rodgers is out of the door, it still doesn’t ease the pressure on the Celtic board, who now have to prove their worth and bring in a top coach.
Whether that’s someone with trophies to their name or an up-and-coming manager. Lots of names have been mentioned, but Jamie O’Hara has explained why it won’t be Craig Bellamy.
Photo by Alex Livesey – UEFA/UEFA via Getty ImagesCraig Bellamy becoming Celtic’s next manager is a ‘non-starter’
Given that Bellamy is the Wales coach, and they have a World Cup to qualify for, O’Hara can’t see the former striker upping and leaving that role.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, O’Hara thinks Bellamy could be a Celtic manager ‘for the future’, but right now, he has the ‘honour’ of coaching his country to a major tournament, and it’s something he can’t miss out on.
Therefore, putting on the famous green and white colours once again is a ‘non-starter.’
“For now, (it’s a non-starter),” said O’Hara. “But who is to say that’s not something he will look at in the future? Of course.
“But I think he has gone in as the Wales manager. What an honour for him. You are the national manager for your country. That’s a huge role, and he has done a really good job. They are in touching distance of the World Cup. If they qualify, what an unbelievable feeling that would be.
“How would they feel if he left, goes to Celtic, doesn’t work out, and Wales make it to the World Cup and he misses out on a World Cup tournament with his country?
“I think it’s a non-starter. I think he handled that interview very well. I think he has been fantastic.”
Bellamy to be a ‘mainstay’ for ‘the next ten years’
This is Bellamy’s first proper gig in management, after he worked for Belgium as a coach under Roberto Martinez and then under Vincent Kompany at Burnley.
Whilst the former Liverpool player was a livewire and a loudmouth as a player, O’Hara thinks he has calmed down in the dugout, and he can see him being a ‘mainstay’ as a manager for ‘the next ten years.’
“Yeah, (it looks like he will have a good career as manager),” said O’Hara. “He was a great player. He was quite a chirpy player, Craig Bellamy.
“He would give you stick. He would be on your case. He was loud. I think, as a manager, he’s quite different. He is very reserved. He talks very well.
“He obviously knows what he’s doing. His coaching is great. He has been around some great managers. Played under great managers. He would have picked up stuff.
“He has already shown that he is capable of being a manager at the highest level. He is definitely one that you will be looking at over the next ten years to be a mainstay.”