Robbie Keane’s spell at Maccabi Tel Aviv has become part of the debate around his possible appointment as Celtic manager.
The former Celtic striker has been heavily linked with the job in recent days, with reports suggesting talks have taken place as the club continue their search for a permanent manager.
A section of the Celtic support has made clear its opposition to Keane being appointed. The Green Brigade and a number of supporters’ groups have pointed to his time managing Maccabi Tel Aviv during the war in Gaza as the main reason for their stance.
The Celtic board has wasted little time in sowing division. From initiating bans to considering a hugely divisive figure as manager.
Until there is meaningful change in personnel and culture within the Celtic hierarchy then there will be no sustained unity across the club. pic.twitter.com/0LNJRunJXT
— North Curve Celtic (@NCCeltic) June 4, 2026
Keane has previously spoken about why he chose to stay in the role until the end of that season, saying the decision involved his staff and players as well as his own career.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand, Keane gave his explanation of the situation.
He said: (Rio Ferdinand Presents), “Being a player versus being a manager, it’s two different, completely two different things. Completely different. You know, and then you’re not just looking after yourself as a manager. You’ve got everybody else to look after.
“Let’s make it clear, obviously there’s been a lot of stuff going on. I resigned at the end of the season from my post. But what people don’t understand is when it did happen, obviously we left. But I’ve got five staff. I’ve got a lot of foreign players who rely on me as their coach. We’re winning the league, they haven’t won it in three, four years. We’re in Europe doing very, very well.
“So my analyst guy for example, he’s got a mortgage. He’s got a family, he’s got kids that he has to feed. So the decision just to step away from something is not just my decision. It’s everybody else’s decision, which was tough. Let’s make it clear, what’s happening is terrible and nobody wants to see it and hopefully it ends very, very soon. But at the end of the day, I’m a football manager and my staff are people to look after. I’ve got a duty of care.
“And my analyst guy for example, he was at Middlesbrough for 12 years. 12 years. And for him to come with me and then for me just to walk away from that and leave him and his family, you know, because you can’t just walk into a job. It’s difficult to walk into a job straight away after leaving a post for 12 years. He’s just one example, then I’ve got other staff. I’ve got players calling me, ‘Please don’t leave coach, don’t leave, look what you’ve done for this club’,
“So we made the decision to stay until the end of the season and walk away from a big contract, another year possibly two more years and we made that decision as a group and as a staff. But to go and win the league and to win the double, nobody can ever take that away from me.”
Keane’s comments give his own account of why he stayed in Israel until the end of the campaign.
For some Celtic supporters, that explanation will not change their view. The protests against his possible appointment have already shown how strongly parts of the support feel about the issue.
For others, the football discussion will centre on whether Keane is the right fit after spells with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros.
Celtic have still not confirmed their next manager. Until they do, Keane’s name will remain part of the conversation, and so will the questions around his time in Israel.
Wow!, not a lot you can say about that if your a humane being.