Harry Redknapp couldn’t resist a joke when asked about his meeting with former Celtic chief Peter Lawwell.
The veteran English manager was in attendance at Easter Road on Sunday for the Edinburgh derby, where he was spotted alongside Lawwell and Malky Mackay. Given that Redknapp has been out of management for close to a decade, there was never any serious suggestion he’d be part of Celtic’s plans — even if his name did briefly pop up in connection with a possible interim return at Tottenham last month.
Looking back on his trip north, Redknapp also made a point of bringing Martin O’Neill into the conversation.
Harry Redknapp: if Martin O’Neill isn’t getting the Celtic job…
When asked directly about the Celtic job, Redknapp brushed it off in his usual light-hearted style.
He said: “No, no. Listen, it’s an amazing club and a great job…
“But if Martin isn’t going to get the job, then they’re not going to be bringing in someone older than him, that’s for sure!”
He went on to explain how the visit came about and what he made of the day.
“I got invited up by my good friend Malcolm, who’s been a prominent figure for Hibs over the years.
“We had lunch with Malky Mackay and Peter Lawwell. It was the first time I’d met Peter and he’s a nice man.
“I loved the atmosphere at Easter Road. It’s a lovely stadium and I had a good day out.
“Hibs looked to be in a great position and then suddenly they’re down to nine men and it’s backs to the wall. That was a big win for Hearts.
“Plenty of people have mentioned it to me and are loving the fact it’s no longer just about Celtic and Rangers.
“There are definitely more people in England taking an interest in what’s going on. It’s going to be good for Scottish football if somebody else could win the league.
“Look, I’ve got to be honest and say it’s not the best Celtic and Rangers teams I’ve seen in the last God-knows how many years. But it’s also a very good Hearts team.
“They’ve got players good on the ball and able to do something a bit special when needed.”
Celtic’s season of change
It’s been a season of major upheaval at Celtic, with Lawwell’s resignation just one of several significant developments during a chaotic 2025–26 campaign.
The shock departure of Brendan Rodgers set the tone, while long-serving figure John Kennedy also brought an end to an association with the club that had stretched close to three decades.
Elsewhere, Wilfried Nancy and his coaching staff moved on, and Paul Tisdale was relieved of his duties as Head of Football Operations early in January.
There have been changes across the wider structure too. B team manager Darren O’Dea was snapped up by Swansea, with head of scouting Jay Lefevre making the same move. In the women’s setup, Elena Sadiku left her role to join BK Hacken.
It all adds to the sense that Celtic are in the middle of a full reset. The uncertainty is obvious — and with so much already changed, the question naturally follows: who’s next?