Celtic next manager: Asmir Begovic backs Sean Dyche to replace Martin O’Neill

Asmir Begovic has thrown his support behind former Everton manager Sean Dyche as a potential successor to Martin O’Neill at Celtic, insisting that the experienced coach would be an excellent choice for the Scottish giants.

The former goalkeeper, who worked with Dyche during his time at Everton, believes the Englishman has the qualities required to bring organisation, discipline and consistency to Celtic. Meanwhile, former Celtic and Manchester City striker Niall Quinn has suggested that Roy Keane could also be an intriguing candidate should the Parkhead club eventually decide to make a managerial change.

Celtic currently sit at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, having collected 18 points from their opening seven matches. Despite their position in the league table, however, the beginning of O’Neill’s second spell in charge has been far from straightforward.

The experienced manager guided Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title last season, but the club’s failure to reach the Champions League league phase has been a significant disappointment. Their European campaign did not go according to plan, while domestic results have also raised questions about the team’s consistency.

One of the most damaging results came in the League Cup quarter-finals, when Celtic were beaten 3-0 by Rangers. The Hoops then suffered another defeat against their Glasgow rivals, losing 1-0 at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership earlier this month.

European disappointment followed when Celtic were beaten 3-1 at home by Ferencvaros in the Europa League during September.

Despite those setbacks, Celtic are not currently preparing to dismiss O’Neill. TEAMtalk transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher has reported that the club has no plans to sack the manager at this stage.

However, the situation could change if O’Neill himself decides that he does not want to continue in the position. Should that happen, Celtic are understood to have already considered several possible alternatives, with former manager Neil Lennon among the names reportedly being discussed.

Dyche could now enter the conversation after receiving a strong recommendation from Begovic.

The 55-year-old manager has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest in February 2026. Before that, he built his reputation through spells with Watford and Burnley before taking charge of Everton.

Begovic knows Dyche from their time together at Everton and has spoken positively about the manager’s methods. He believes Celtic could benefit from the organisation and work ethic that have been associated with Dyche throughout his managerial career.

Speaking to Hajper, Begovic explained that he has considerable admiration for his former manager and his coaching staff.

He said he had always enjoyed working with Dyche and praised the approach taken by the manager and his team. According to Begovic, Dyche’s methods are straightforward, demanding and focused on ensuring that everyone understands their responsibilities.

Begovic believes those characteristics could make Dyche particularly suited to managing Celtic.

The former goalkeeper suggested that Dyche would immediately attempt to restore order and ensure that Celtic’s players were fully committed to the same objectives. He also highlighted the importance of fitness, hard work and discipline, qualities that he believes supporters would appreciate.

Begovic went as far as saying that he would like to see Dyche given the opportunity to manage Celtic.

He also suggested that the former Everton boss deserves another major opportunity after what he has achieved throughout his career. However, Begovic jokingly acknowledged that Dyche might need to adjust some aspects of his personality, particularly when it comes to his activity on social media, if he were to take charge at Celtic.

Dyche’s managerial career has included a lengthy spell at Burnley, where he established a reputation for building competitive teams and achieving results despite operating with financial limitations compared with some of the clubs around him.

His time at Everton also provided experience of working under significant pressure at a major club, something that could be relevant if he were eventually considered for the Celtic job.

For now, though, O’Neill remains in charge and Celtic’s hierarchy have reportedly not made plans to replace him.

Another name that continues to generate interest is Roy Keane.

The former Celtic midfielder has previously been linked with a return to management, although he has spent recent years working primarily as a television pundit. Keane’s last permanent managerial position came at Ipswich Town, while he has also held senior coaching roles with the Republic of Ireland and other clubs.

Niall Quinn believes Keane should at least consider putting his name forward if Celtic begin searching for a new manager.

Quinn knows Keane well from their time together at Sunderland. Quinn was chairman when Keane took charge of the Black Cats in 2006, and the former striker believes Keane has the personality and presence required to manage a club as prominent as Celtic.

Speaking on the Graeme Souness Tackles podcast, Quinn suggested that Keane expressing an interest in the Celtic job could make the situation particularly interesting.

He acknowledged that Keane has not managed for some time but argued that managerial instincts do not simply disappear. Quinn suggested that if Keane still has the desire to return to the dugout, Celtic would represent a major opportunity.

Quinn also recalled Keane’s impact at Sunderland, claiming that the former Manchester United captain helped generate significant excitement around the city during his spell in charge.

According to Quinn, Keane has the kind of personality that attracts enormous attention wherever he goes. His reputation as one of football’s most outspoken figures would undoubtedly make a potential return to management a major talking point.

However, Quinn also raised an important question over whether Keane still has the appetite for the pressures that come with being a manager.

The former Sunderland chairman noted that Keane appears to be enjoying his current role as a pundit. He suggested that the former midfielder looks happier than he has done in the past while working in television.

Returning to management would mean stepping back into a demanding environment involving refereeing decisions, weekend results, player issues and the constant pressure that comes with being responsible for a club’s performances.

Quinn therefore questioned whether the competitive fire that once drove Keane remains strong enough for him to take on another managerial challenge.

For Celtic, the situation remains uncertain. O’Neill continues to have the backing of the club despite several disappointing results, and there is currently no indication that the board is preparing to remove him.

Nevertheless, the speculation surrounding possible successors shows that alternative options are already being discussed publicly.

Dyche has now received a strong recommendation from someone who worked closely with him, while Keane continues to attract support from figures who know him from his managerial career.

If O’Neill remains in charge, those names may remain purely hypothetical. But should the Celtic manager decide to step away, the club could face an important decision over which direction to take next.