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Jackie McNamara believes Shaun Maloney has the qualities and potential to one day become manager of Celtic Football Club.
The former Parkhead defender is also insistent that Martin O’Neill must get his preferred backroom team confirmed and contracted as soon as possible.
O’Neill signed his agreement to return as Celtic manager after leading the club to Double success last term, but deals for assistants Maloney and Mark Fotheringham are yet to be finalised.
Maloney made a significant contribution to the coaching setup last season after moving from his role as Professional Player Pathway Manager during the title-winning campaign.
McNamara and Maloney played together under O’Neill during the manager’s first spell at Celtic, with Maloney later going on to manage at Hibs and Wigan.
McNamara explained his thinking on Maloney’s long-term prospects, saying: “I think he has the potential to do that.”
He elaborated further, noting: “Shaun had a little taste of management with Hibs and Wigan. He has a good idea of the game, a good temperament and knows how he wants to play and wants to do things.”
McNamara also drew a clear distinction between Maloney’s qualities and O’Neill’s, acknowledging: “I know he’s a different personality to Martin. There are not many people like Martin who have that charisma, stature, and it’s separate.”
The former full-back was clear about the different demands of coaching versus management, stating: “I do think they’re separate, the coach and the manager. I do think it’s a separate thing altogether.”
Despite those differences, McNamara remained confident in Maloney’s future, adding: “I do think Shaun possibly could do both in the future.”
On Maloney’s coaching credentials, McNamara said: “He looks like he’s a very good coach and he’s got respect from the players. He’s very quiet and he’s a thinker of the game.”
He went further to highlight Maloney’s broader value to the club, saying: “Long-term I do see him as a quite important person for the football club, not just in the dressing room, but outwith, with players coming in and keeping the standards high.”
McNamara also addressed the importance of O’Neill securing his desired backroom team, drawing on his own managerial experience at Partick Thistle, Dundee United, and York City.
He said the key question when selecting staff is straightforward: “Can they do the job? Are they good enough to do the job? And if you can’t say to one of your good friends you need to step up, then he’s not your good friend.”
McNamara highlighted the strong bond between O’Neill and Maloney, stating: “Martin and Shaun are colleagues who have been in and out of each other’s lives in football for a number of years at Celtic and down the road at Aston Villa and the trust is there.”
Gavin Strachan appears set to depart for West Brom, though Fotheringham and Stephen McManus were also part of the management setup last season.
McNamara described O’Neill’s coaching philosophy clearly, noting: “Martin’s philosophy was the games. He always used to say you can’t impress me in training and things like that. He was more focused on winning the matches where it really mattered.”
With Celtic due back for pre-season imminently, McNamara expressed surprise that staff contracts had not already been resolved alongside O’Neill’s own announcement.
He said he fully expects the matter to be concluded shortly, stating: “I’d be surprised if Martin didn’t get the guys back in and sorted.”
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