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Following Brendan Rodgers' exit as Celtic head coach on Monday, several potential successors have surfaced as potential long-term successors for the former boss.

Celtic moved quickly to appoint former manager Martin O'Neill as temporary boss—20 years after his first spell in charge of the Glasgow club ended.

Sunday's 3-1 loss at table-toppers Hearts was Celtic's back-to-back Premiership loss, putting them eight points adrift in second place, while they have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

O'Neill, 73, has played down speculation he could take up the job on a permanent basis—insisting he is merely "keeping the seat warm."

Several candidates have reportedly begun to surface for the role, including some figures with strong links to Parkhead.

Kieran McKenna

Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna has arisen as an appealing candidate to get Celtic back on a positive footing.

However, sources have indicated that Celtic could encounter a significant financial cost to secure the young manager.

McKenna agreed to a new multi-year contract at Ipswich in the 2024 off-season, said to be worth approximately £5 million per season.

Furthermore, it is understood he has a sizable release clause that Celtic may be required to meet if they choose to formalise their inquiry.

It is yet unclear whether McKenna is willing to leave English football to begin a new phase in Scotland—though sources have suggested the manager would be open to a move.

Ipswich are presently mid-table in the Championship after last season's drop from the Premier League.

McKenna was among the candidates for the Brentford head coach job in the summer after Thomas Frank's exit, but the position was filled internally by Keith Andrews.

Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou is back on the market after a short and unsuccessful stint at Nottingham Forest.

The Australian, who was dismissed by Tottenham at the end of the previous season, managed only 39 days at the club and became the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou did not secure a victory in any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two draws and six defeats across all competitions, but he is nonetheless revered by the Celtic supporters and is available.

He spent a pair of campaigns in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 and guided the club to a domestic treble in his following campaign.

The Former Celtic Striker

Former forward Robbie Keane also fits the bill as another candidate with close links to Celtic and someone who completely understands the club.

Keane scored 16 goals in 19 appearances for the Scottish powerhouse during a temporary stay in 2010 and was named Celtic's Player of the Year for that season.

The Republic of Ireland star retired in November 2018 following a short stint as playing coach at Indian Super League club ATK.

In 2023, Keane was appointed manager of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv and led them to a domestic double last year.

He assumed control at Hungarian team Ferencvaros in January and claimed the league title during his inaugural season.

It is understood Keane would be open to the Celtic opening.

The Wales National Team Manager

Craig Bellamy took his first steps into management in 2024 with the Wales national side and is also understood to have supporters at Celtic.

The 46-year-old scored eight goals in 14 matches for the Scottish side during a temporary stay in 2005.

Bellamy has managed 14 games with Wales—winning six, drawing four, and losing four—and is reportedly committed to the position.

Wales are third in their World Cup group for the 2026 World Cup and assured at least a play-off berth, so persuading him away from the national side could be difficult.

Martin O'Neill

Martin O'Neill spent five years in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005—winning seven honors, among them three Premiership titles.

The Northern Irishman's most recent position in the managerial seat was with Nottingham Forest. He replaced Aitor Karanka in January 2019 with the club ninth in the Championship and was dismissed at the end of the season with Forest remaining in the identical position.

Speaking on Tuesday, O'Neill stated, "I must stress, this is short term, until a full-time manager is selected."

O'Neill's initial challenge comes on Wednesday when Celtic host mid-table Falkirk at 19:45 GMT.