talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan has launched a fierce defence of Robbie Keane amid backlash from Celtic supporter groups over talks about the Irishman becoming the club’s next manager.
Keane held discussions with Celtic powerbroker Dermot Desmond this week regarding the possibility of taking charge at Celtic Park, with further talks expected to follow.
Desmond also met with interim boss Martin O’Neill as part of the same managerial search process currently underway at the Scottish champions.
Opposition to a potential Keane appointment has come from ultras groups, including the Green Brigade, who accused the club of “sowing division” among supporters by entertaining the prospect.
The backlash centres on Keane’s decision to remain as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv when the conflict between Israel and Palestine escalated again in October 2023, which significantly damaged his reputation in his home country.
Keane led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Israeli title during the 2023/24 season before departing in January 2025, and most recently guided Ferencvaros to the Hungarian Cup last month.
Speaking on talkSPORT alongside host Jim White, Jordan rejected the notion that Keane should be denied the role because of the supporter outrage, calling the criticism “relatively preposterous.”
“He is a football manager and is managing a football team,” Jordan said. “He is not taking a political position. He took the job before the circumstances escalated again and then took the decision to leave that Israeli club 12 months later.”
Jordan warned Celtic’s hierarchy against making decisions shaped by activist pressure, saying it would be “a very, very slippery slope that will lead to no good” if the board bent to such demands.
He also expressed a personal preference for O’Neill over Keane, stating: “The bigger picture is for me, Robbie Keane should not be getting the job in the first place, Martin O’Neill should.”
Jordan was particularly pointed in his criticism of the Green Brigade’s stance, saying: “Let’s be careful, make sure that none of these Green Brigade guys are buying any Jewish products or staying in any places that are owned by Jewish people, because that’s where this is going. That is how ridiculous this is.”
He urged Desmond to prioritise football over politics when making the final call, adding: “My hope would be that Dermot Desmond and his people make a decision based upon footballing merit.”
Jordan did concede that the backlash could test Keane’s resolve, noting “it might well do” when asked whether the reaction could affect the former striker’s appetite for the position.
He acknowledged that activist fan groups might prove harder to win over than typical supporters, saying: “These guys may not because they are activists using their activism through the sport.”
Jordan was clear that he had no time for such pressure from any direction, regardless of the cause involved, insisting he does not “applaud or appreciate it, no matter what the subject is or what side of the argument you are on.”
He pointed out that Keane has never made any public comment about the conflict in Gaza or indicated where his sympathies lie, meaning the ultras’ objections rest purely on his former employment.
“He hasn’t said anything,” Jordan said. “In their eyes, he made the mistake of working for an Israeli club and didn’t exit quick enough for their liking.”
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