Celtic’s managerial hunt is gathering pace over the international break.
Martin O’Neill has won three of his four games in interim charge, following the abrupt resignation of Brendan Rodgers. The Honda Civic looks long gone.
But it is now expected for interviews to progress over the coming weeks, with a surprise name in Wilfried Nancy being the current front-runner.
Kjetil Knutsen, Kieran McKenna and Craig Bellamy are all also in the race. But for Hoops hero Frank McAvennie, one name who isn’t even in the running would be worth talking to.
Roberto Mancini has seen it all in football, winning the Premier League, Serie A and European Championships. Would he really consider a switch to Scotland?
Frank McAvennie wants Roberto Mancini at Celtic
Mancini was most recently in charge of Saudi Arabia – he remains intensely pursued in the Middle East.
He knows a thing or two about being a big fish in a small pond, managing Galatasaray and Zenit Saint-Petersburg – but Celtic would be a step down from that pair in terms of budget.
READ MORE: Craig Bellamy gets ringing Celtic endorsement from Joe Ledley as Wales boss is ‘perfect fit’
He is most famous for guiding Manchester City to their first Premier League title in 44 years, in the most dramatic fashion possible, in 2012.
Mancini also guided Italy to unexpected glory at EURO 2020, beating England on penalties at Wembley. He’ll never have to buy a pint in Glasgow, that’s for sure.
He has publicly said that he would consider managing the Hoops one day – on the Let Me Be Frank podcast, McAvennie was incredulous that he isn’t in the race.
He said: “I don’t know why he’s not even in the running, Mancini. I don’t know why they’ve not gone for him.
“He said he would love to manage Celtic. Go and ask him! You might be surprised. Can you imagine getting him?
“I mean, he’s done everything, he’s done everything in the game. Coming to Celtic, leading Celtic in a European night with Mancini as the manager, that would be great. A dream come true, for me.”
It’s an interesting suggestion, for sure. But would he really consider it?
Roberto Mancini’s European clashes with Celtic
Mancini has come to Celtic Park twice in Europe – and on both occasions, he witnessed a rocking atmosphere.
He first came in his second spell at Inter, for the first leg of a Europa League knockout tie.
Against Ronny Deila’s Celtic, his side took a 2-0 lead in the first-half, but was pegged back to 2-2 by two rapid goals from Stuart Armstrong.
Inter retook the lead before half-time after a howler by Craig Gordon, but John Guidetti’s stunning equaliser in added time took the tie to a second leg at 3-3. Inter won the second leg 1-0.
In the same round of the same competition, he came to Paradise with Zenit three years later.
On this occasion, Callum McGregor scored the only goal in the first leg, but the Hoops would go out with a whimper, losing the return leg 3-0 in Russia.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
