Sixty-seven Celtic fan groups oppose Robbie Keane appointment over Maccabi Tel Aviv role

Sixty-seven Celtic fan groups have formally urged the club’s board to abandon any pursuit of Robbie Keane as their next manager, citing the former striker’s tenure at Maccabi Tel Aviv and his decision to continue in the role for eight months after Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023. The letter, coordinated by North Curve Celtic and endorsed by groups including Bhoys Celtic and the Green Brigade, was published on X and represents one of the most organised shows of supporter opposition to a managerial candidate in the club’s recent history.

Keane, 45, is reported to be among the leading candidates to succeed Martin O’Neill at Parkhead. He was appointed Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach in June 2023 — four months before the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October — and guided the club to the Israeli Premier League title and the Toto Cup in his only season. He eventually resigned from the position, but not until eight months into the conflict. Keane has previously stated he remained because of a “duty of care” to the backroom staff he had brought with him to Israel.

The letter from North Curve Celtic drew directly on the club’s founding identity. “Celtic was founded by a community shaped by the legacy of genocide, displacement and famine,” it read. “Our club’s roots lie in solidarity with those who suffered injustice and oppression. We cannot forget where we came from, nor turn our backs on those facing genocide today.”

The statement described Keane’s continued presence in Israel as “unconscionable”, arguing that managing a club fewer than 40 miles from an active conflict zone made his position untenable in the eyes of a large section of the support. It also questioned the footballing logic of the appointment, calling it “a predictable and uninspiring choice at a moment when greater ambition is needed”.

Keane is not without history at Celtic Park. He spent a loan spell at the club in 2010 that generated considerable goodwill among supporters, a factor that makes the current opposition all the more pointed. The Republic of Ireland’s all-time record goalscorer has not managed in club football since leaving Maccabi.

More than 70,000 people have been reported killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to figures cited in the fan groups’ statement. Celtic have not publicly confirmed Keane as a candidate, and no appointment has been announced.