Robbie Keane has reiterated he remains focussed on his work at Ferencvaros amid links with the Celtic job.
The ex-Hoops loan striker has been named as being on the shortlist to permanently replace Brendan Rodgers as Parkhead boss.
Celtic chiefs have been down south conducting interviews and a new man could be in place for the Premiership clash away to St Mirren on Saturday, November 22 – with Keane mentioned alongside the likes of Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy.
Keane guided current club Ferencvaros to the Hungarian title last season and he’s helped them to third place in the Europa League table after three wins and a draw in the competition.
But amid speculation over his future, the former Hoops’ striker has now echoed his previous comments on the hot seat at a coaching conference in Hungary, insisting he has learned to tune out the noise over his future from his playing days.
He said: “As a player, they wrote that I would sign here or there, but it’s the same – there is nothing you can do about that, I am only and exclusively focused on my work here.”
Frenchman Nancy has emerged as the oddsmakers favourite for the vacant post – and was playing his cards close to his chest when asked about the Parkhead role.
But pundit Pat Nevin admits he would be “staggered” if the Hoops make a move for the MLS Cup winning boss.
He reckons that Ange Postecgolou and Kieran McKenna should be thrown into the running as well as Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen before a final decision is made.
He told Casino Hawks: “I would be staggered if Wilfried Nancy got the Celtic job. It’s not because of inability, it’s just that his style is interesting. Remember, Celtic took Ange Postecoglou because of his style, and it fitted with Celtic’s style and the ethos of the club.
“Ange had been very, very successful in other places, Australia, Japan, etc. Don’t knock the Japanese league, either.
“But Nancy, I think he has to do a bit more before he gets the Celtic job in terms of bigger jobs. And that’s not against him, he’s a new, young manager. If he gets it, good luck to him.
“But it’s not something that Celtic would normally do. It really isn’t. All the others are the kind of leading names that we keep on hearing, although we don’t hear Ange’s name much at the moment, do we? And there’s a hell of a lot of Celtic fans that would take him back in a millisecond.
“I think the one we need to talk about is Kjetil Knutsen. A lot of people are talking about him. There’s a phrase, if they get him, they’ve won a watch.
“That’s the one you want to get. You have to remember, if you’re an executive and you’re trying to get a new manager, what are you wanting?
“As a fan, you want the guy who is a master tactician, and he gets the lads going, all that sort of stuff. If you’re a club, you’re thinking, who does he know?
“What players is he going to bring here that we couldn’t have got? Has he got a backing behind him that gets other things in? What’s he done in the past?
“Bodo/Glimt, by the way, have done all right. I think we can agree with that. They’ve been fantastic for a number of seasons and are punching above their weight.
“I think there are a number of managers out there that Celtic will think of. Remember, they did exactly the same with Ange. Ange was really, really successful, but why? Well, Kyogo Furuhashi came, Daizen Maeda came, Reo Hatate came.
“He knew a market that they could use quite well. Would that be the same with Knutsen? That might be tempting, but that’s to take nothing away from all the other names that have been mentioned.
“Kieran McKenna, again, a massive decision. That’s a big call. That must hurt him if he’s getting pulled by Celtic, considering the job he’s done at Ipswich. His Irish background to Celtic is a big draw.”
