Robbie Keane is back on the managerial radar in England, with the former Celtic striker emerging as a contender for the vacant Preston North End job.
The 46-year-old, who only months ago held talks over a dramatic return to Parkhead, is now being linked with Deepdale after Paul Heckingbottom’s departure. Journalist Alan Nixon reports that Keane is among the names under consideration as Preston weigh up their next move.
It marks a swift change of direction for a man who, not long ago, seemed poised to step into the Celtic hot seat.
From Parkhead talks to Championship chance
Keane was heavily linked with the Celtic role earlier in the summer, during the period of uncertainty that followed Martin O’Neill’s interim spell. Discussions took place over the Irishman potentially succeeding O’Neill on a permanent basis, but the move stalled and ultimately never happened. Celtic chose continuity, handing O’Neill the job full-time.
Keane slipped quietly out of that particular spotlight. He has not spoken publicly about how far those talks went or why they broke down once O’Neill was confirmed. The focus now, though, could be shifting south rather than back to Glasgow.
Preston’s vacancy offers something different: a first crack at management in the English Championship.
Old alliances at Deepdale
Keane’s name is not appearing out of thin air. There are long-standing relationships at play.
During his playing days at Leeds United, Keane worked under chairman Peter Ridsdale, who now occupies the same role at Preston. That shared history gives Keane a direct line into Deepdale and a familiarity that can matter when clubs make big calls.
O’Neill, too, knows Ridsdale well. The Celtic manager visited Deepdale earlier this year with coach Mark Fotheringham, a reminder of how tightly woven these circles can be. Their relationship stretches back more than twenty years, to the moment in 2003 when Ridsdale offered O’Neill the Leeds job.
At that time, O’Neill was unsure whether he would receive a new contract at Celtic. He went as far as signing a “statement of intent” over a potential move to Elland Road, only for circumstances to shift and the switch never to materialise. Two decades on, the same chairman is again at the heart of a managerial decision involving a Celtic-connected figure.
Keane’s break from the touchline
While the speculation grows in England, Keane has been out of work since the end of last season. His last role came at Ferencvaros, where he saw the club’s long domestic dominance abruptly halted.
Ferencvaros missed out on the Hungarian title to ETO FC Gyori, ending a seven-year run as champions. Keane departed Budapest at the close of that campaign, with Balazs Borbely – the coach who had led Gyori to the championship – stepping in to replace him and take charge of Ferencvaros.
For a manager still carving out his reputation, that setback was significant. A move to Preston would offer a different kind of test: the grind and glare of the Championship, the relentless schedule, the pressure to build momentum quickly.
Celtic ties linger in the background
Keane’s recent links with Celtic felt almost inevitable. He enjoyed a spell as a player at Parkhead, remains a popular figure among sections of the support, and maintains a strong relationship with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond. Those connections ensured his name would always surface when the club sought a new direction.
This time, though, Celtic turned back to O’Neill, and Keane stepped aside. No public complaints, no detailed post-mortem. Just silence and a sense that his next move would come elsewhere.
That “elsewhere” might now be Deepdale. If Preston decide that a young, ambitious coach with Premier League and international pedigree is the way forward, Keane will not lack for narrative. A return to England, a reunion with Ridsdale, and a first shot at the Championship could define the next phase of his managerial career.
The decision now sits with Preston’s hierarchy. Do they lean on familiarity and history with Keane, or look in a different direction as they plot their route through one of football’s most unforgiving divisions?
