Celtic managerial target makes telling Ferencvaros admission after Parkhead 'front-runner' claims
Robbie Keane may have indirectly addressed his links with the Celtic managerial position
Celtic have an important summer ahead at Parkhead and appointing a new permanent manager will be their first port of call at the end of the season.
The Hoops will hope to enter the summer as Scottish Premiership champions once again after they closed the gap on leaders Hearts to two points last weekend, with Old Firm rivals Rangers close behind in what looks set to be a three-horse title race.
Celtic have seen early links emerge with players such as Claudio Braga and Kasper Hogh ahead of the summer transfer window, while candidates such as Roberto Martinez have been linked with the permanent manager’s job once Martin O’Neill’s short-term contract runs out at the end of the campaign.
The man who has been called the ‘front-runner’ to take over at Parkhead, though, is Robbie Keane – and the Ferencváros head coach appeared to indirectly address his uncertain future after the Hungarian champions were eliminated from the Europa League on Wednesday.
Robbie Keane reflects on Ferencváros defeat after Celtic links
Keane told reporters after Ferencváros lost 4-0 away in Braga for a 4-2 aggregate defeat to the Portuguese side in the Europa League last 16: "I’m very proud. Look at the teams we played against: Fenerbahce, Ludogorets, Rangers.
"We played so many games, I can’t even remember the teams. Nottingham… We’re talking about teams that sign for 50-60-70 million. And playing against them, especially Nottingham, which is a different level, because they’re in the Premier League. Or even Fenerbahce. Not conceding a goal for 75 minutes in their stadium. It was an amazing journey, and I can’t be angry about that now.”
He continued: “I told the guys to go home with their heads held high, because I will too. It was a great trip and I think the really big thing is that we earned the respect of our opponents. That’s a huge thing. All the coaches of the opponents highlighted how well we played compared to other teams. I’m very happy with that. We showed that we are a team that cannot be beaten. I take a lot of pride with me. When my colleagues speak so highly of my team, it makes me really proud.”
Keane makes admission as Ferencváros task already completed
Keane insisted he has completed his “most important task” at Ferencváros already, suggesting he has already taken the club as far as he can: “My players are not at this top level yet, but they have improved a lot this season, and for me as a coach, this is my most important task: to make my players better.
"This is my job. Winning is also important, of course, but it gives me much more satisfaction to see my players improve and move up a level. This is the job of a head coach, to find a way for his players to move up to a level they haven’t been to before.”
This came just days after Ferencváros sporting director Tamás Hajnal revealed that he had held talks with Keane regarding his links with a departure.
He said: "What's in the media about him is always one thing. Of course, we talk about this, and he also openly and honestly tells us what the reality is in these cases. The other thing is that it's completely normal when someone does such a good job as he does."
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