Celtic are one of the most successful football clubs in Scotland with an expert coaching staff beside manager Brendan Rodgers. So, who makes the Northern Irishman’s backroom team?
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
The Bhoys appointed Rodgers as the latest manager of Celtic in June 2023 to replace Ange Postecoglou. He returned to Glasgow on an initial three-year contract having earlier stood at the Celtic Park helm from May 2016 until he took charge of Leicester City in February 2019.
Rodgers oversaw a dominant period in Celtic’s trophy history over his first spell as the club’s manager. The tactician took the Hoops to back-to-back domestic trebles during his first two seasons in charge. He won all seven domestic titles available to him while in charge of Celtic.
Assistant manager: John Kennedy
Rodgers elected to keep John Kennedy at Celtic as his assistant manager upon accepting the Bhoys’ position. The coach first joined the Bhoys’ ranks as Neil Lennon’s number two back in 2019. He also served as their caretaker manager from February 2021 after Lennon resigned.
Lennon naming Kennedy in his coaching staff at Celtic was also a promotion for the Bellshill native. He had previously acted as the club’s Under-17 and U20 assistant manager. Kennedy also worked as the U19 boss and as a scout after retiring as a player with the Bhoys in 2009.
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.
First-team coach: Harry Kewell
Celtic further retained Harry Kewell as a first-team coach after naming Rodgers as their new manager in June 2023. Postecoglou had only added Kewell his coaching staff at Celtic in June 2022. The Australia icon replaced Stephen McManus after the Scot became the B-team boss.
Kewell had enjoyed a career as a manager with Watford’s U23s, Crawley Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Barnet. While his playing career took the ex-Socceroos striker to Leeds United, Liverpool and Galatasaray. He also won the Champions League title whilst at Anfield.
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.
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 works with a staff of first-team analysts, including Alex Lawrence.
Head of physiotherapy and 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 to the Hoops join Birmingham City.