Enzo Maresca to Celtic: the start of a thousand-mile journey?

Congratulations to Manchester City on becoming the third team from the UK to secure a treble including the European Cup/Champions League.

Of course, the first team to do so were Celtic, who completed a quadruple, also against Inter Milan (or a quintuple, if you include the Glasgow Cup).

The match was a tight, tactical affair, with City winning, 1-0, in contrast to the thrashing many pundits were expecting but Celtic fans had an additional interest due to the involvement of Enzo Maresca, currently hotly tipped as a potential successor to Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.

Maresca, a former midfielder with a playing career, in Italy, Spain, England and Greece, has been catching the eye in the coaching world, with Pep Guardiola the most notable admirer. Maresca's journey in football has seen him play for clubs such as West Bromwich Albion, Sevilla and Juventus, coming on as a late substitute in the famous 4-3 Champions League game at Celtic Park. 

After transitioning into coaching, Maresca joined Pep Guardiola's Manchester City backroom staff in July 2022, after coaching the Elite Development Squad to their first-ever Premier League 2 title 2021. That link will surely be of interest to the Celtic board as they seek a manager who can deliver success through player development, rather than the chequebook.

The similarities between Guardiola's and Postecoglou's styles should make for a smooth potential transition to Celtic and there are also obvious parallels with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. Additionally, he would bring elite level performance coaching experience, which should now be a standard qualification for any Celtic Head Coach.

If many are uncomfortable giving the job to someone with no managerial success (his brief spell with Parma ended controversially), it's worth noting that the Celtic manager role has often been a platform for less experienced, but highly promising managers.

Neil Lennon had no coaching experience before first being appointed Celtic manager. Similarly, Ronny Deila – who, like Maresca and Ange Postecoglou, was also nurtured by the City Football Group stable – had only coached with smaller clubs in Norway.

It's also worth remembering that the highest level of coaching includes strong focus on the psychological aspects of the game, which Maresca will certainly be well-versed in, if he has, so far, had few opportunities to lead a top-level group.

While Celtic have a host of interesting candidates, the prospect of Maresca taking the reins at Celtic is an intriguing one. 

No appointment is without risk, of course, the “safest” option remaining Brendan Rodgers. Maresca, though, seems to have as strong credentials as it's possible to get, in the absence of a track record of managerial success.

Then again, as the Chinese proverb goes: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

*This article was updated to include the result of the Champions League final.

The Rodgers return? – don't fool us twice

The feelings left by his exit will not be easily overcome but there were faults on more than one side

Whenever I hear the words, Brendan Rodgers, I get a horribly distressing feeling of confusion like a boy being held down by a big brother who's shouting, “Why are you hitting yourself?” as he pounds the poor lad's fists into his own face.

I was dead against his appointment before it happened; concluded that I must have been an idiot not to have seen how great he was and then despised myself for not listening to my own infallible first
instincts after that infamous exit.

Now, there's talk of his return and you know it would be something like Combo getting out of jail in Shane Meadows' This is England – sure, it's possible he'll be a reformed character but, even if it doesn't end badly, a lot of people will be upset along the way.

Rodgers, for all his faults (and there are many), did bring us unprecedented domestic dominance. European results were disappointing but he played Pep Guardiola's oil-rich Manchester City twice without losing.

He spoke about football with the authority of an expert in his field, calmly analytical and avoiding the tired clichés that tend to pepper pre and post-match interviews.

But then, when it came to talking about himself, there were shades of Walter Mitty and a lot of “Did he actually say that?” moments.

As for the way he left - it looked cowardly, self-serving and disrespectful to the fans and players. The feelings of shock, disappointment, betrayal and even humiliation have not been easily overcome.

That said, it's also worth noting that he had the support of Scott Brown and, apparently Callum McGregor, who revealed that he immediately texted Rodgers on signing a long-term deal, presumably because there was interest in taking Callum to Leicester.

There's no doubting that Rodgers is a coach of the highest calibre, who won the FA Cup and the Community Shield in his time with Leicester. His last season at Leicester should be taken in the context of being under Financial Fair Play restrictions, albeit he had benefited from financial imprudence in previous seasons.

Among the negatives from his time at Celtic, were the matter of his incendiary fall-out with Moussa Dembele and Mikael Lustig's pointed comments about fans not walking out in February. And then there's the story about Danny McGrain, which needs to be addressed in a way that preserves Danny's dignity and place of honour within Celtic.

But, if many will find it hard to forgive Rodgers, let's not kid ourselves – Peter Lawwell was only too happy to let him go.

By running off into the night, Rodgers allowed Lawwell & co. to spin the nonsense that the club couldn't stop any of the staff leaving without even giving a normal notice period.

The fans were so angry that most forgot the term, “gardening leave,” and the fact that a coach under contract can't just take up another job the next day without the permission of the club he's contracted to.

I'm sure the reported £11million compensation salved the wound somewhat.

I must also be remembered that, while some of Rodgers's signings were bad, he was clearly having other players signed behind his back – like Lewis Morgan and Marian Shved – as well as the unexpected arrival of Peter's protege, Shaun Maloney, to the technical staff.

Reading between the lines, it's not hard to conclude that an undignified deal suited both Rodgers and Lawwell, some of whose interference could have amounted to constructive dismissal.

If Rodgers is to come back, let him come and the fans should support him. Hopefully, he'll have settled down enough to spare us the saccharine waffle and get on with preparing a team that can sweep all before it in Scotland while making us a club to be feared in Europe.

And if he bumps into some club legends “in their normal clothes”, let's hope he lets his coaching brain take charge of his mouth.

Life after Ange: a host of thoroughbred candidates -- and the usual donkeys

There is no shortage of interest in being Ange's successor and the board must show ambition to keep progressing

As the dust settles on Ange's departure to Tottenham, the usual ill-informed speculation about who will be the next to take the helm at Celtic Park. In this spirit and tradition of ignorance, here's my take on some of the likely candidates.

First up, we have Brendan Rodgers. Now, we all remember how he left us in a moonlight flit (with the collusion of the board) but he knows his football. He's got a proven track record and could potentially bring some stability back to the club.

However, his past actions have left a sour taste, and it's hard to forget the Danny McGrain debacle. Rodgers' return would certainly be a talking point, as it would reopen old wounds but whether it's a realistic prospect remains to be seen.

Jesse Marsch is another name that's been thrown into the hat. The American coach has a high-intensity approach an impressive CV, having led Red Bull Salzburg to consecutive league and cup doubles. His high-intensity approach could fit well with the current squad, but rumours suggest he's holding out for the USMNT job. 

John Kennedy is both linked again and said to be wanted at Spurs to help bring Ange's brand of football to a new squad. Consistently admired by the coaches he has supported and reportedly well-liked and respected by the players, it feels like, if John was ever going to be our head coach, it would have happened by now.

Scott Brown, our legendary former captain, is also being touted as a potential successor. His decision to start his managerial career in the lower leagues shows wisdom and a willingness to learn. His dedication to the club is unquestionable and, if he pushes on from an impressive start with Fleetwood Town, could be destined to occupy the manager's office in the future.

David Moyes, a former Celtic player and a well-respected manager, could bring stability. Despite rumours of his potential dismissal at West Ham, Moyes has expressed a desire to stay put. However, the allure of a return to Celtic Park would be tempting if things change at the Hammers.

Kjetil Knutsen, the man who led Bodo/Glimt to their first-ever title win, is an intriguing prospect. His exciting, attacking style of football would be welcomed if he could adapt to the high demands of the job. His limited experience could draw comparisons to Ronny Deila's tenure and he would need strong support from the dressing room and the boardroom. However, we should be wary of dismissing him the way fans and pundits have done with Ange.

Enzo Maresca, with his Manchester City pedigree, could be an interesting choice if he could translate his coaching experience into managerial success. His understanding of Celtic's playing style is a plus, but his lack of managerial experience raises questions about his ability to handle the pressures of the job. 

Graham Potter, despite his impressive stint at Brighton, left the club under questionable circumstances. His style of play could be a good fit for Celtic, but his departure from Brighton while they were top of the Premier League raises eyebrows.

Rafa Benitez, a name that always seems to pop up when there's a vacancy at Celtic, is another potential candidate. However, his repeated use of Celtic as leverage for other job opportunities has left many fans feeling sceptical.

Frank Lampard, despite my expectation that he would be one to watch, has struggled to replicate his playing success as a manager. That's a euphemistic way of saying he's been utterly garbage while managing Chelsea and Everton and he would be unlikely to endear himself to the fans.

Steve Clarke, while a knowledgeable manager, is likely content with his current position. His defensive style of play may not be to everyone's taste, but his experience could be valuable.

Neil Lennon, despite his previous success at Celtic, his most recent experience as Celtic manager should definitely be his last.

Shaun Maloney, an ex-Celtic player with impressive coaching credentials, would once have been a realistic candidate. However, his short tenure at Hibs and relegation from the Championship with Wigan suggests he may never be a number one but could possibly feature in a future backroom staff.

And finally, we come to Roy Keane because someone always mentions him and he's billionaire Dermot Desmond's good pal. His inclusion in the list of potential candidates is more comedic than realistic. The idea of Keane as Celtic manager is likely to be met with more laughter than serious consideration – but always underpinned by a Karmic dread that it might actually happen one day.

As ever, Celtic have a range of options and it is to be hoped that the appointment of Ange's successor with show some ambition to progress from the solid platform we now have in the squad.

That has to come quickly with the new manager committed in plenty of time to work with the squad and manage changes in playing personnel.

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