Aiden McGeady has addressed Shaun Maloney’s future going forward at Celtic.
Initially being brought in to replace Darren O’Dea as player pathways manager, Maloney was catapulted into the first-team coaching staff after the interim arrival of Martin O’Neill.
He has since been reported to be involved in first-team recruitment for both the January transfer window and the mammoth rebuild approaching.
According to McGeady, who played with Maloney at Celtic and later worked with him at Wigan, a bigger Parkhead role could be in waiting.
What should Shaun Maloney’s role be at Celtic next season?
Aiden McGeady: Shaun Maloney could move into Paul Tisdale role at Celtic
Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, McGeady was asked if Maloney could be the next Celtic manager, replying: “If I’m being totally honest, I can’t see it.
“Because, I think… Shaun took over after Wigan. He took over as Player Pathways Manager. Very very quickly, [he] took over as interim assistant to Martin O’Neill.
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“I think, if a new manager comes in, in my opinion, Shaun will either stay on the coaching staff, or I think Shaun will possibly be the new director of football.
“Or, head of football operations. Celtic don’t do directors of football, so head of football operations.
“Because the things that I know inside Celtic [are] that everyone’s very happy with how Shaun’s been doing and how he’s been handling things.
“Because Shaun’s got a lot of different roles there at the minute, he’s not just assistant to Martin O’Neill. I think, effectively, Shaun kind of put the coaching staff together alongside Martin.
“And he’s been in charge of the recruitment, as well, in January. As we said, there’s no head of football operations in there anymore, with Paul Tisdale being gone. Nancy was, I think, Tisdale’s appointment as well.
“I think if Shaun was offered the Celtic job, he would 100% take it, of course he would. But in my opinion, I think there’ll be another manager in there.”
Agree or disagree?
Shaun Maloney’s coaching experience before Celtic
Celtic were the club where Maloney’s coaching journey began, when he linked up with Brendan Rodgers to initially work with the club’s reserve side.
He initially joined Roberto Martinez’s coaching staff at Belgium on a job-sharing basis, before making the move permanently.
His first managerial role at Hibernian lasted just six months, after a poor run of form left the Hibees in the bottom six.
He then returned to Wigan, where he was a key player during his career. He stabilised the Latics over two years despite financial turbulence and points deductions, before being replaced by Ryan Lowe last year.
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