Tam McManus has made the outrageous shout of Malky Mackay for Celtic’s sporting director.
Parkhead decision-makers are rarely celebrated for their decision-making by the Celtic support, but the expected appointment of Shaun Maloney as Head of Football Operations will be fairly well-received.
If they were to poach Mackay, who has served as sporting director at Hibs since 2024, on the other hand…
Regardless of whether you take a bigger issue with Mackay’s past controversies or his lack of pedigree in modern football, it’s far from an inspiring suggestion.
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Tam McManus: Shaun Maloney Celtic talk is good news for Hibs
McManus said in his column for the Daily Record: “There’s a lot of talk about Shaun Maloney getting the sporting director gig at Celtic.
“And that could be good news – for Hibs.
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“Because it means Celtic won’t be looking at nicking Malky Mackay any time soon.
“I must admit, l’ve been a little surprised there hasn’t been interest in the Hibs sporting director. You look at Malky’s credentials and the job he is doing at Easter Road.
“Chuck in the obvious history he has with Celtic, and I thought it would be inevitable people would put two and two together.
“It might be a bad idea flagging it up on these pages because I don’t want them to get any ideas. I’d rather see Mackay staying right where he is. He wasn’t an overwhelmingly popular appointment when he arrived in 2024.
“But no one at Hibs can really argue with the job he has done, along with recruitment chief Garvan Stewart.
“Everyone is gushing about what Hearts are doing and raving about Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics.
But Mackay and Stewart have quietly gone about their business across the city – and managed to make some top signings.
“The recruitment has been a million times better than it had been for years, when Hibs seemed to sign dozens of players who were here one minute and gone the next, without making much of an impression.”
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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, ironically 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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