IT looks like it’s going to be a straight shoot-out between two managers for the vacant Celtic manager’s job, according to bookmakers.
Interim boss Martin O’Neill was placed in temporary charge while the club look for a successor to Brendan Rodgers.
The 73-year-old has always maintained he would be a caretaker.
But calls grew from some fans to give him the job until the end of the season after dumping Rangers out of the Premier Sports Cup.
A disappointing 3-1 defeat to Midtjylland in the Europa League somewhat put a dampener on things – with ex-Hoops star Chris Sutton warning O’Neill against tarnishing his legacy.
But O’Neill believes Sunday’s clash against Killie will be his final one in charge, as he thinks the club will make an appointment during the international break.
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Many names have been thrown into the mix including the likes of Ipswich Town‘s Kieran McKenna, former Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou and Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen, Ferencvaros head coach Robbie Keane and Wales manager Craig Bellamy.
But some bookies think it’ll be either Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen or Columbus Crew’s Wilfried Nancy who are joint favourites by some distance.
Knutsen’s stock has soared in recent years taking the Norwegian side from relative obscurity to winning domestic honours and competing in Europe.
He has been linked with a number of high profile jobs including Ajax, but reportedly turned down the Dutch giants two years ago.
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The other head coach is Nancy, who won MLS Coach of the Year in 2024, after enjoying success with Columbus Crew.
He reportedly has admirers within Parkhead and is understood to be on a shortlist of foreign candidates.
His big break came at Montreal in 2021 when he took over from France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Success soon followed winning the Canadian Championship.
He joined Crew in 2022 and continued to have the Midas touch becoming Concacaf Champions Cup finalists and clinching the Leagues Cup Trophy and MLS Cup.
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