O'Neill upgrade: Mjallby tells Celtic which manager is "the perfect fit"
Celtic were provided with a timely reminder of the task ahead of them this season after they were hammered 3-1 by FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Hoops found themselves 3-0 down at the break after a dismal first half that saw the Scottish giants register two shots, while giving up 15 on their own goal, per Sofascore.
It was a dismal performance from the Scottish Premiership champions as they were far too easy to create against, as shown by the second goal that was scored in the clip above.
Martin O’Neill was brought in as an interim manager after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation at the start of last week, and the experienced boss did win his first two games in charge, against Falkirk and Rangers.
Unfortunately, though, the Hoops were way off the level required in their clash with their Danish counterparts on Thursday night, which may raise question marks over how long O’Neill’s interim spell will last.
The latest on Martin O'Neill's future at Celtic
Speaking to Football Insider earlier this week, scout Mick Brown suggested that the Northern Irishman could take the job until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Brown said: “Based on what he’s said about the job and the fact he’s gone in there as an interim, I can’t see him taking on the permanent job, even if he does well during this spell.
“It might be that he could extend his stay on a short-term basis, maybe until the end of the season. From the directors’ point of view, that might be a decision which suits them because they don’t end up with somebody making demands of them like Rodgers did.”
Football Insider also recently reported that O’Neill’s chances of landing the job until the end of the season would depend on the team’s performance in his matches in interim charge.
Possession
61%
39%
xG
2.49
0.98
Shots
24
5
Shots on target
12
3
Big chances
4
1
Passes completed
430
293
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Celtic were outclassed in their defeat to Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday night, which may leave the board wondering whether or not to stick with the experienced manager for the rest of the season, as it may impact their progress in Europe.
If they do decide to make an external appointment during the international break coming up after the weekend, Johan Mjällby has told the club who to go for.
Johan Mjällby tells Celtic who would be a perfect fit
The former Celtic central defender, who spent six years in Glasgow, has suggested that Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen would be “the perfect fit” for the club.
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Speaking on TNT’s live coverage of the defeat on Thursday night, Mjällby hailed the job that the Norwegian manager has done with Bodo/Glimt and said that his style of play would be a mix of what Brendan Rodgers and Martin O’Neill want from their teams.
The former Sweden international said that he could be “the perfect fit” for Celtic because his style is a mix of O’Neill and Rodgers, as he wants to dominate possession, but to be quick and aggressive with his side’s use of the ball.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops will make a move for the Bodo/Glimt head coach, but it was recently reported that he is one of a number of managers on the club’s radar.
This shows that Knutsen is a manager the club are aware of and are considering as a potential long-term successor to Rodgers at Parkhead. However, it is not known how high or low he is on the shortlist at this moment in time.
Why Celtic should appoint Kjetil Knutsen
The Hoops should swoop to appoint the Bodo/Glimt manager as their new head coach because he could arrive in Glasgow as an upgrade on O’Neill this month.
Celtic’s dismal showing in Europe on Thursday was, perhaps, a sign of the experienced manager’s lack of experience in management in recent years, as this is his first club job since the 2018/19 campaign, per Transfermarkt.
O’Neill also managed in Europe for the first time since the 2009/10 Europa League qualifying campaign for Aston Villa when he was in the dugout on Thursday, which illustrates how long it has been since he has coached on the European stage.
Knutsen, on the other hand, has had recent success in both European and domestic action as Bodo/Glimt’s manager, which could make him a ‘perfect’ option for Celtic, as Mjällby suggested.
The 4-3-3 tactician’s team are currently one point off first place in the Eliteserien season, with three matches left to play, and he could claim his fifth league title in six seasons.
2025
27
61 (2nd)
2024
30
62 (1st)
2023
30
70 (1st)
2022
30
60 (2nd)
2021
30
63 (1st)
2020
30
81 (1st)
As you can see in the table above, he has made Bodo/Glimt a winning machine in the Eliteserien over the past five years or so, which shows that he has the credentials to continue Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football.
On top of his domestic success, Knutsen also led his team to the semi-finals of the Europa League last season, becoming the first Norwegian side to ever reach the semi-final of a European competition.
Knutsen, who has forged a strong relationship with his club’s fanbase, as shown in the clip above, also reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League in the 2021/22 campaign.
Rodgers, meanwhile, never reached past the last 16 in any European competition across his two spells at Celtic, and O’Neill managed in Europe on Thursday for the first time in 15 years.
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Therefore, Knutsen could be a brilliant hire for Celtic as an upgrade on O’Neill, due to his recent success in domestic and European football, whilst having a play style, per Mjällby, that would be a ‘perfect fit’ for the Hoops.