Celtic are the most successful football club in Scotland with an expert coaching staff behind manager Martin O’Neill. So, who makes up the Hoops legend’s backroom team?
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Martin O’Neill was reappointed by Celtic in January 2026 after a brief period under Wilfried Nancy.
O’Neill stepped away from his role as interim manager in December 2025 following a period of seven wins from eight games in charge.
However, after Celtic decided to dismiss Nancy following a run of six defeats in eight matches, the club called the Northern Irishman once again to come and save the day.
First-Team Coach: Mark Fotheringham
Mark Fotheringham was appointed as a Celtic first-team coach following the interim appointment of O’Neill and Maloney.
Fotheringham began his playing career at Celtic when O’Neill was the manager but never really made a splash in the first-team, but was the youngest debutant in Celtic history at the time.
Since retiring his coaching career has included stints as a first-team coach and assistant in Germany before being manager of Huddersfield Town.
He was sacked in 2023 and returning to Parkhead is his first job in coaching.
First-Team Coach: Gavin Strachan
Along with Kennedy, Rodgers also opted to retain the services of Gavin Strachan among his coaching staff at Celtic. Lennon had similarly named the Aberdeen native among his team in 2020. The Northern Irishman convinced Strachan to leave the same role with Peterborough.
Strachan started his coaching career with the Posh in 2011 following his 12-year career as a defensive midfielder. The former Scotland U21 international first took the role as their U18s manager before becoming Darren Ferguson’s No2 for 146 matches between 2012 and 2015.
Ilkeston offered Strachan a chance to become a head coach in 2015 but his tenure proved to be short-lived. He then reunited with Ferguson at Doncaster Rovers from 2015 to 2018. They then re-joined Peterborough in 2019 through to Celtic hiring Strachan to their coaching staff in 2020.
Goalkeeping Coach: Stevie Woods
Celtic hired Stevie Woods to their coaching staff way back in 2009 as the goalkeeping coach. The Glasgow native had held the same role for the club’s B-team since 2007 after joining the Bhoys for his first backroom role. He also worked with the Scotland team from 2018 to 2021.
Woods turned to coaching after a 17-year playing career that featured spells with Hibernian, Clydebank, Preston North End, Motherwell, St Mirren and Livingston between 1989 to 2006.
Celtic B Head Coach: Stephen McManus
Former Celtic defender Stephen McManus currently leads Celtic B, an important role as he aims to develop youngsters to progress into the first-team squad.
He became coach of the U18 side in January 2019, before becoming a part of Ange Postecoglou’s first-team coaching staff in February 2021.
McManus then was handed the Celtic B job in the summer of 2022 after the arrival of Harry Kewell as a first-team coach.
Professional Player Pathway Manager: Shaun Maloney
Shaun Maloney was an exciting winger for Celtic, representing the club as a player on two occasions across the 2000s and 2010s. He eventually moved into management, which included a brief stint as manager of Hibs.
Darren O’Dea held the Professional Player Pathway Manager role at Celtic before he was lured to Swansea City to be their assistant boss. He was replaced by Maloney in June 2025, and he is tasked with ‘developing the progression of players at the club.’
Maloney is also working alongside O’Neill as the assistant manager for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
Head of Analysis: Craig Dunbar
Celtic hired Craig Dunbar as the club’s head of analysis in 2019 to examine the performances of their first-team squad. He leads a team of first-team analysts.
Head of Physiotherapy & Medical Services: Tim Williamson
Celtic re-hired Tim Williamson in 2010 as their head of physiotherapy and medical services. He previously worked with the Bhoys as the club’s head physiotherapist between 2002 and 2008.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds employee briefly left the Hoops join Birmingham City.
