Celtic have been linked with Robbie Keane as a potential candidate for the permanent managerial vacancy at Paradise in the summer.
67 Hail Hail will take a look at three senior players who may have no future at Celtic if Keane is appointed.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Anthony Ralston and Daizen Maeda all face a crossroads, as the champions of Scotland search for a much-needed new era in Glasgow.
- READ MORE: Ex-Sunderland chief Charlie Methven nails it on Dermot Desmond’s ‘complacent’ Celtic model
The links are back again… Would you welcome Robbie Keane as Celtic manager?
Tell us why…
Celtic’s declining forward Daizen Maeda
Maeda confirmed in an honest interview last September that he had agreed on personal terms to leave Celtic, only for the club to block the move at the final hurdle.
This season, he simply hasn’t looked like the same player who swept the individual awards last term, with his impact on games clearly fading.
If Keane is appointed, he may find his hand forced as the board looks to finally facilitate an exit for Maeda.
Ultimately, a summer move likely suits all parties involved as Celtic refresh their declining squad.
Robbie Keane would love the quality at right-back, but not Anthony Ralston
Ralston remains a well-liked figure at Paradise, but the current competition at right-back suggests he is better off moving away from the club.
Alistair Johnston is the established first choice, while the emergence of rising young star Colby Donovan has further limited his minutes.
Additionally, Celtic fans are desperate for the club to permanently sign the impressive Julian Araujo, whose performances have eclipsed the now-forgotten Scotland international.
Ultimately, Ralston is no longer at the standard required to play for Celtic regularly, although he has earned himself another call to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad, and it looks likely he will be at this summer’s World Cup.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha is an example of Celtic’s broken recruitment
Balikwisha has been a disappointment beyond belief since his £5m summer move from Royal Antwerp, failing to score a single goal in a Celtic shirt after nineteen appearances.
At Ferencvaros, Keane utilises a high-intensity system that demands immense productivity from wide players like Elton Acolatse, who has instantly excelled in Hungary after his winter transfer.
This is a standard the Belgian has failed to meet from the moment he signed at Paradise.
After being frozen out by multiple managers this season, he looks like a total flop who is simply not compatible with the relentless tactical approach Keane would bring to the Hoops.
Ultimately, his departure would allow the board to reinvest in players who actually fit the system.
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