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Following Brendan Rodgers' resignation as Celtic head coach on Monday, a number of potential successors have emerged as possible long-term successors for the former boss.

Celtic acted swiftly to name former manager Martin O'Neill as interim boss—two decades after his first spell in charge of the Scottish club ended.

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

O'Neill, 73, has played down speculation he could assume the job on a full-time basis—stating he is merely "keeping the seat warm."

Multiple potential appointees have already begun to surface for the role, among them 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 guide Celtic back on a winning footing.

However, insiders have indicated that Celtic could encounter a substantial financial cost to secure the young manager.

McKenna signed a new four-year contract at Portman Road in the 2024 off-season, reportedly worth around £5 million per season.

Additionally, it is believed he has a sizable buyout clause that Celtic may be required to meet if they choose to pursue their inquiry.

It is yet unclear whether McKenna is prepared to depart English football to forge a new phase in Scotland—though sources have suggested the manager would be open to a move.

Ipswich are presently mid-table in the Championship after last season's relegation from the Premier League.

McKenna was one of the contenders for the Brentford head coach job in the summer after Thomas Frank's departure, but the role was filled internally by Keith Andrews.

Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou is back on the market after a short and unsuccessful spell at Nottingham Forest.

The Australian, who was sacked by Tottenham at the conclusion of the previous season, managed only 39 days at the City Ground and became the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou failed to win in any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two ties and six losses across all competitions, but he is nonetheless revered by the Celtic fanbase and is free.

He spent a pair of campaigns in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 and led the club to a domestic treble in his second campaign.

Robbie Keane

Former striker Robbie Keane also qualifies as an additional option with strong links to Celtic and someone who completely understands the club.

Keane scored 16 goals in 19 appearances for the Scottish giants during a temporary stay in 2010 and was named Celtic's Best Performer for that season.

The Republic of Ireland international hung up his boots in November 2018 after a short stint as player-manager at Indian Super League club ATK.

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

He took over at Hungarian team Ferencvaros in January and claimed the league title during his first season.

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

The Wales National Team Manager

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

The 46-year-old scored eight goals in 14 appearances for the Scottish side during a loan spell in 2005.

Bellamy has managed 14 games with Wales—winning six, tying four, and losing four—and is reportedly dedicated to the position.

Wales are third in their World Cup group for the 2026 World Cup and assured at least a playoff spot, so luring him away from the Welsh team could prove challenging.

The Interim Manager

Martin O'Neill spent half a decade in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005—winning seven trophies, among them three Premiership titles.

The Northern Irishman's last role in the managerial seat was with Nottingham Forest. He succeeded Aitor Karanka in January 2019 with the club ninth in the Championship and was sacked at the conclusion of the season with Forest remaining in the identical position.

Speaking on Tuesday, O'Neill said, "I can't emphasise this enough, this is temporary, until a permanent manager is selected."

O'Neill's first assignment comes on Wednesday when Celtic host sixth-placed Falkirk at 19:45 GMT.