Roberto Martinez, roberto martinez and Jens Berthel Askou emerge as Celtic contenders
roberto martinez is among the early names linked to the Celtic manager vacancy as the club prepares for a summer change, with Motherwell's Jens Berthel Askou also widely viewed as a leading contender. The discussion follows Martin O'Neill's indications that he will not stay beyond the summer and comes amid mixed results for the current Celtic squad.
O'Neill's future is set
Martin O'Neill will be 74 before the end of the season and has intimated that he won’t stick around beyond the summer, saying he plans to hand over to a younger coach to take the club forward. He warned after a late win at Kilmarnock earlier this month that the side’s habit of leaving results late is unsustainable, adding that while the players show spirit, the pattern is not good for his heart.
Shortlist narrows to two
A report identified Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou and Portugal boss Roberto Martinez as the two leading candidates on Celtic’s shortlist. The pair sit ahead of other names that have been mentioned, including Graham Potter and Robbie Keane, with Askou emerging as a frontrunner after strong praise for his work in Scotland this season.
Why Jens Berthel Askou
The Dane has transformed Motherwell, the Steelmen, into a team that plays attractive, dominant football and they are all but certain to guarantee themselves a top four finish this year and European football for next season. Motherwell are currently sitting in fourth place, only four points behind the Hoops, and Askou’s record includes winning a total of four trophies across spells with Danish sides AC Horsens and FC Copenhagen, and Faroese team HB Torshavn.
Roberto Martinez's connections
roberto martinez has also been linked, with a noted close connection to Shaun Maloney from their time together at Wigan Athletic and with the Belgium national team. Martinez is described as having significant experience at higher levels, including in the Premier League, a contrast drawn with Askou, who is yet to prove himself at the very highest level.
Voices backing Askou
Former Celtic star Charlie Mulgrew has tipped the Parkhead club to ask the question of the Lanarkshire club to try to tempt Askou to Glasgow. Mulgrew said he would be amazed if there were no discussions around Jens Berthel Askou and added that if he had to put money on it, he would back Berthel Askou from Motherwell. Mulgrew made those remarks on his The Breakdown podcast alongside ex-Rangers midfielder and coach Kevin Thomson.
East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has also spoken highly of Askou, saying that spending time in his company quickly reveals what an “unbelievable talented coach/manager he is” and that those qualities are underpinned by his characteristics as a person, adding that he has an aura about him. Celtic writer Ryan McGinlay is among those similarly impressed with the Motherwell boss.
Recent results and context
The Hoops remain in the title race; they are described as 55-time Scottish Premiership champions, but recent form has exposed shortcomings. The team was thrashed 4-1 at home by VfB Stuttgart in the first leg of the Europa League play-off and then lost 2-1 to Hibernian at Parkhead on Sunday. Those setbacks follow the last-gasp victory at Kilmarnock earlier this month that prompted O'Neill’s comments about the team’s habit of leaving it late.
Mulgrew also claimed that clubs in the EFL are monitoring Berthel Askou and went as far as to say some have been in contact. That interest adds to the sense of Askou as an emerging candidate for bigger jobs.
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Closing: The situation is set to develop as Celtic prepare for a managerial handover this summer, with Roberto Martinez and Jens Berthel Askou currently the leading names under consideration, and with praise, trophies and recent results all feeding into the debate.
