John Collins backs Brendan Rodgers to be next Celtic boss
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Deila and his number two Collins waved goodbye to the Parkhead faithful after landing their second Ladbrokes Premiership title and former Liverpool manager Rodgers has emerged as the leading candidate to take over.
The Hoops board insist they have yet to zero in on their preferred candidate, but, according to reports, Rodgers has already spoken to Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond on at least two occasions.
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Hide AdFormer defender Malky Mackay is also understood to have been interviewed in recent days, while the likes of David Moyes, Neil Lennon and Roy Keane are still listed among the list of likely contenders.
But the champions’ departing assistant boss believes Celtic should look no further than former Anfield coach Rodgers.
Speaking at a William Hill media event ahead of this weekend’s Scottish Cup final between Rangers and his old side Hibernian, Collins said: “Brendan has been linked with the job in the last couple of days and I think he would be a brilliant choice. I like him a lot.
“I enjoy watching his teams play football and I enjoy listening to him, so I think he would be a terrific choice.
“There are lots of others in the mix, but Brendan likes his teams to play with the ball on the ground, to build from the back and through midfield.
“He wants them to be entertaining and dominate the ball with possession, so Celtic should always strive for that type of manager.”
However, the Celtic hierarchy have urged their support to be patient while they try to conclude their search for Deila’s replacement.
In a statement posted on the club’s website, they said: “Following some speculation regarding the appointment of a new Celtic manager, the facts are as follows:
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Hide Ad“The club has been and will be speaking to a number of candidates and we will take our time to go through this process thoroughly and in the proper manner. There is no ‘preferred’ candidate.
“We will continue this process with the aim of identifying a new manager who we believe will deliver success to the club.
“Clearly we will not be able to provide daily updates on this issue. However, our supporters will be the first to know when a new manager has been appointed.”
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