HOOPY RETURNS
Two former Celtic stars in frame for Hoops Under-18s head coach job after reshuffle
Both ex-players are planning their futures for after retirement
JONNY HAYES and Charlie Mulgrew are in the frame for the job of Celtic Under-18s head coach.
The former Parkhead stars are understood to be vying for the vacancy along with other contenders.
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Celtic have been on the lookout for a new U-18 coach since Stuart McLaren left.
Hayes has been coaching in Aberdeen’s academy, assisting at Under-16 level, while continuing his playing career.
The 36-year-old hasn’t featured for the Pittodrie first team since a home defeat to St Johnstone at the end of February.
Hayes won three league titles with the Hoops after signing for Brendan Rodgers from the Dons for £1million in 2017.
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Mulgrew is another candidate. He is keen on a coaching breakthrough after hanging up his boots last year.
The defender, 38, had two playing stints with the Bhoys, most successfully in a six-year spell after returning to sign for Neil Lennon in 2010.
Celtic B-team head coach Darren O’Dea, formerly U-18 chief, recently formed part of a reshuffle at the academy by moving up to become professional player pathway manager.
Speaking after taking on his new role, the former centre-back told the club's website: “I am really looking forward to giving everything to this exciting new opportunity.
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"Having been fortunate enough to be part of a Celtic first-team environment in my career I am passionate about working to give other young players this same opportunity.
"In this new role, I will be working between our academy structure and the first-team environment to ensure that we do all we can to provide the very best pathway and levels of support to allow our young players to reach their full potential and to ultimately deliver at first-team level.”
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Hoops boss Rodgers reckons the 37-year-old is the perfect man to take on this newly-created position.
He said: "Celtic has such a rich history of creating and developing its own players and is something which I am hugely passionate about.
"This important new position will allow us to give real focus to ensuring the very best possible pathway and level of support to bringing our younger players successfully into the first-team environment, so they too can create their own history at the club.
"Darren has great experience in this area and he is the perfect candidate to work between our academy and first team and I am sure his work will achieve very positive results for the club and our supporters."
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