Robbie Keane Tipped as Celtic Manager—Dowie's Insights

Robbie Keane has been tipped as a Celtic manager-in-waiting, with Ian Dowie insisting the Irishman should be judged on his touchline work, not the politics around his past.

Keane, who most recently managed Ferencvaros, came close to landing the Celtic job on a permanent basis before Dermot Desmond turned to Martin O'Neill for a short-term appointment. The move followed a wave of supporter protests, with sections of the fanbase objecting to Keane’s candidacy because of his previous spell in charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

That backlash still lingers around his name. Dowie believes it is clouding the conversation.

“In terms of Robbie Keane, I think the fan opposition to Keane stems from where he has managed previously, which I understand,” Dowie said. “I think he should really just be judged on his footballing ability.”

For Dowie, the managerial CV should outweigh the geopolitical noise. Keane’s time in Israel, he feels, has unfairly become the defining line of his story, rather than his coaching credentials and international experience.

The discussion doesn’t stop with Keane, though. Another Irishman, Damien Duff, also features on Dowie’s shortlist for the Glasgow hot seat.

“Keane certainly has more experience internationally, but Damien Duff has done a fantastic job wherever he's been,” Dowie added. “Both would be strong candidates, but it's hard to say for sure.”

That uncertainty reflects the scale of the job. Celtic, as Dowie underlines, is no ordinary club.

“Celtic is a massive club, they, along with Rangers, are huge entities. You need a specific mindset to manage a club of that stature, and both Duff and Keane certainly possess that mentality.”

Right now, Dowie sees Keane edging the race.

“I think Keane might be the favourite right now, but I don't think he's a political person. He's been dragged into the narrative a bit.”

In other words, if Celtic do turn to Robbie Keane in the future, Dowie believes the real question won’t be about where he once worked. It will be whether Parkhead is finally ready to judge him purely on what he can do in the dugout.