Celtic will appoint a new permanent manager this summer, but it isn’t going to be Rafa Benitez.
For some reason there’s been talk of the Spaniard taking over at Parkhead, with talkSPORT describing him as one of the ‘leading candidates’ for the job back in April.
(Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United)
Benitez’s future at Newcastle is still up in the air, with his contract at St James’ Park set to expire. But talks are set to take place between the manager and the Magpies hierarchy, with the Premier League season now over.
Meanwhile at Celtic, they’re currently managed by Neil Lennon, who took over on a temporary basis after Brendan Rodgers headed to Leicester.
A lot of big names have been tipped for the Hoops job, including Jose Mourinho. But Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie insists that Benitez won’t be the man in the Celtic Park dugout next season.
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
A number of Celtic-supporting friends asking about Rafa Benítez ‘link’ to their manager vacancy. Rafa meeting Newcastle bosses this week hoping to agree a new contract, plus his current wages make Celtic a non-starter.
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) May 14, 2019
Was Benitez to Celtic ever a possibility?
To be honest, the links never seemed to be concrete.
Benitez is always going to be a man in demand when you consider his list of accolades. Combine that with his uncertainty at Newcastle and it’s no surprise that his name would get thrown into the mix.
(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images)
But Celtic can’t really match his ambitions. The Hoops are already at the top. Even under a less than impressive Lennon, they’ve sealed another league title and could complete a treble treble if they beat Hearts in the cup final.
The question is whether or not Mike Ashley can match Rafa’s ambitions. He has often spoke about the potential of the club. He can help us reach that potential, but he needs to be given the tools to do so by the owner.