Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca may be leaning towards Leicester City in a blow to Celtic’s hopes of hiring a manager to replace Ange Postecoglou.
An ‘extraordinary’ coach he may be – not our words, the words of Pep Guardiola – but is 43-year-old Enzo Maresca really ready to deal with the piercing glare of the Glasgow goldfish bowl?
Celtic legend Johan Mjallby certainly has his doubts.
The former Hoops defender would prefer a man with more top-level experience. Maresca is part of the Man City staff celebrating a treble but, in stark contrast to the highly-experienced and very well-travelled Postecoglou, he would arrive at Parkhead with just 14 games in senior management under his belt.
Maresca, meanwhile, won just four of those. Sacked by Parma just three months into the 2021/22 campaign.
Will Enzo Maresca now opt for Leicester City over Celtic?
Reports indicating that Celtic have held talks with both Maresca and 34-year-old Francesco Farioli, however, suggests that the Premiership champions are willing to take a punt on a man who – in theory at least – makes up for his lack of experience with seemingly-boundless potential.
According to the Daily Record, however, competition for Maresca’s signature is rising. Leicester City have now interviewed the former West Brom, Sevilla and Fiorentina midfielder; the report adding that the King Power Stadium is now Maresca’s ‘most likely destination’.
Leicester were relegated from the Premier League at the end of May. The Foxes have a decision to make on former Aston Villa and Brentford coach Dean Smith; the interim boss who has an impressive track record in the Championship. But reports that Leicester are now looking at Maresca suggests that Smith will not be afforded the opportunity to add a second promotion to his CV.
Is Brendan Rodgers returning to Celtic?
Celtic, meanwhile, appear to be stepping up their pursuit of former boss Brendan Rodgers instead.
According to the Daily Mail, Michael Nicholson, the Hoops chief executive, jetted out to Brendan Rodgers’ Mallorca home this weekend, alongside finance director Chris McKay. Face-to-face talks between the two parties are now underway.
“Celtic’s dominance (is) not going to be ended by default,” Rangers legend Barry Ferguson tells the Daily Record.
“And it’s worth remembering that, while Postecoglou claimed five out of six trophies in his two years at Parkhead, this was just the latest part of a pattern which stretches back way longer than a couple of seasons.
“The very mention of Brendan Rodgers being in the running for the job should send a shiver down the spine. Because he’s the guy who started this monopoly by leading them to three successive trebles (between 2016 and 2019).”
Rodgers, ironically, was dumped by Leicester in the spring.
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