shaun maloney is still in contract talks at Celtic while Gavin Strachan is poised to leave for West Brom. The move would strip Martin O’Neill of a first-team coach before some players return for pre-season at the end of next week.
West Brom boss James Morrison has targeted Strachan, who joined Celtic’s backroom staff in 2020. Celtic have not yet reached an agreement with Maloney or Mark Fotheringham, even after offering both wage cuts from the deals they were on last season.
West Brom target Strachan
Strachan’s expected exit sits at the center of Celtic’s current staffing picture. His move would come after five years on the club’s backroom staff, and it arrives while O’Neill is still waiting to settle the rest of his coaching group.
O’Neill wants Maloney and Fotheringham on board, but talks are ongoing. That leaves Celtic with one coach on the way out and two more still tied up in contract negotiations as the pre-season clock ticks down.
O’Neill’s coaching plans
O’Neill has already signed a 12-month deal with the option for a further year, so the manager’s own position is in place. The uncertainty is around the staff around him, and Celtic have pushed that issue into the same window as their summer preparations.
Some members of the first-team squad are due back at the end of next week, and Celtic’s non-international players will report first to Lennoxtown. The club have also arranged pre-season trips to Ireland and Portugal, and AC Milan are scheduled to visit Parkhead for a friendly.
For Celtic, the immediate issue is not the itinerary. It is whether the staff O’Neill wants are in place before the squad starts coming back, with Strachan heading toward West Brom and the talks with Maloney and Fotheringham still unresolved.
