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In the wake of Brendan Rodgers' departure as Celtic head coach on Monday, a number of candidates have come to light as potential replacements for the former boss.

Celtic acted swiftly to name former manager Martin O'Neill as interim boss—20 years after his initial spell in charge of the Glasgow club concluded.

Sunday's 3-1 defeat at table-toppers Hearts was Celtic's second successive Premiership defeat, leaving them eight points behind in second place, while they have won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions.

O'Neill, 73, has played down speculation he could take up the job on a full-time basis—stating he is merely "serving as a caretaker."

A number of candidates have already begun to surface for the position, among them some figures with close links to Parkhead.

The Ipswich Town Head Coach

Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna has arisen as an appealing prospect to get Celtic back on a positive footing.

However, sources have indicated that Celtic could face a significant financial cost to snap up the young manager.

McKenna signed a new four-year contract at Ipswich in the 2024 off-season, said to be worth approximately £5 million per year.

Additionally, it is understood he has a significant buyout clause that Celtic may be required to meet if they decide to formalise their interest.

It is yet unclear whether McKenna is willing to depart English football to forge a new phase in Scotland—though sources have indicated the manager would be open to a move.

Ipswich are presently in the middle of the pack in the Championship after last season's drop from the Premier League.

McKenna was among the candidates for the Brentford manager's job in the summer following Thomas Frank's departure, but the position was filled from within by Keith Andrews.

The Former Celtic Boss

Ange Postecoglou is back on the market after a brief and disappointing stint at Nottingham Forest.

The Australian, who was dismissed by Tottenham at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, lasted just 39 days at the club and became the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou did not secure a victory in any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two draws and six defeats in all competitions, but he is still highly regarded by the Celtic fanbase and is available.

He spent a pair of campaigns in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 and guided the club to a clean sweep of Scottish trophies in his following campaign.

The Former Celtic Striker

Former striker Robbie Keane also qualifies as an additional option with strong links to Celtic and someone who fully understands the club.

Keane scored 16 goals in 19 games for the Scottish powerhouse during a loan spell in 2010 and was named Celtic's Best Performer for that season.

The Republic of Ireland international retired in November 2018 after a brief stint as player-manager at Indian Super League club ATK.

In 2023, Keane was appointed manager of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv and guided them to a domestic double last year.

He took over at Hungarian team Ferencvaros in January and claimed the league title during his first season.

It is believed Keane would be open to the Celtic opening.

The Wales National Team Manager

Craig Bellamy began his journey into management in 2024 with the Wales team and is also thought to have admirers at Celtic.

The 46-year-old scored eight goals in 14 matches for the Scottish side during a temporary stay in 2005.

Bellamy has overseen 14 games with Wales—securing six victories, drawing four, and losing four—and is reportedly dedicated to the role.

Wales are third in their qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup and assured at least a playoff spot, so luring him away from the Welsh team could be challenging.

The Interim Manager

Martin O'Neill spent half a decade in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005—winning seven trophies, including three Premiership titles.

The Northern Irishman's most recent role in the managerial seat was with Nottingham Forest. He succeeded Aitor Karanka in January 2019 with the club ninth in the Championship and was sacked at the end of the season with Forest sitting in the identical position.

Speaking on Tuesday, O'Neill stated, "I must stress, this is temporary, until a full-time manager is selected."

O'Neill's first assignment comes on Wednesday when Celtic host sixth-placed Falkirk at 7:45 PM GMT.