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In the wake of Brendan Rodgers' departure as Celtic manager on Monday, a number of potential successors have emerged as possible long-term successors for the Northern Irishman.

Celtic moved quickly to name former manager Martin O'Neill as interim boss—two decades after his initial stint in charge of the Scottish club concluded.

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

O'Neill, 73, has dismissed suggestions he could assume the job on a permanent basis—insisting he is merely "holding the fort."

Several potential appointees have reportedly begun to surface for the role, including some names with close links to Parkhead.

The Ipswich Town Head Coach

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

However, insiders have indicated that Celtic could encounter a significant financial cost to secure the 39-year-old.

McKenna agreed to a new multi-year contract at Ipswich in the 2024 off-season, reportedly worth approximately £5 million pounds per season.

Furthermore, it is believed he has a significant release clause that Celtic may be required to meet if they choose to pursue their interest.

It remains to be seen whether McKenna is willing to leave English football to forge a new phase in Scotland—though those close to the situation have indicated the manager would be open to a move.

Ipswich are currently in the middle of the pack in the Championship following last season's relegation from the Premier League.

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

Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou is available again after a short and unsuccessful spell at Nottingham Forest.

The Australian, who was sacked by Tottenham at the end of the 2024-25 season, lasted just 39 days at the City Ground and became the briefest permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou did not secure a victory in any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two ties and six defeats in all competitions, but he is still revered by the Celtic supporters and is free.

He spent two seasons in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 and led the club to a clean sweep of Scottish trophies in his following campaign.

Robbie Keane

Former forward Robbie Keane also qualifies as another candidate with strong links to Celtic and someone who fully knows the club.

Keane scored 16 goals in 19 games for the Scottish giants during a loan spell in 2010 and was named Celtic's Player of the Year for 2009-10.

The Republic of Ireland star hung up his boots in November 2018 following a short period as playing coach at Indian Super League club ATK.

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

He assumed control at Hungarian team Ferencvaros in January and won the championship during his first season.

It is understood Keane would be receptive to the Celtic vacancy.

The Wales National Team Manager

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

The former striker scored eight goals in 14 matches for the Scottish side during a loan spell in 2005.

Bellamy has managed 14 games with Wales—securing six victories, tying four, and losing four—and is said to be committed to the position.

Wales are in third place in their qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup and assured at least a play-off berth, so persuading him away from the Welsh team could be challenging.

Martin O'Neill

Martin O'Neill spent five years in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005—securing seven honors, among them three Premiership titles.

The Northern Irishman's last position in the dugout was with Nottingham Forest. He replaced 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 same spot.

Speaking on Tuesday, O'Neill stated, "I can't emphasise this enough, this is short term, until a full-time manager is selected."

O'Neill's initial challenge comes on Wednesday when Celtic host mid-table Falkirk at 7:45 PM GMT.