Mjallby wants Knutsen or Potter for Celtic job

2 years ago 32

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Former Celtic assistant Johan Mjallby believes Kjetil Knutsen or Graham Potter could be the ideal candidates to replace Ange Postecoglou as manager.

Knutsen, Enzo Maresca and former boss Brendan Rodgers have all been linked with the post since Postecoglou joined Tottenham Hotspur.

And Mjallby says it's important the club appoint someone with a similar attacking style.

"I would go for Knutsen or Potter," the Swede told BBC Radio Scotland.

"Ange has been fantastic but a manager is not bigger than the club. It's going to be really important to find the perfect replacement. There's a lot of names. The list is quite long right now.

"The easiest transition is probably to pick someone who wants to play the same way of football, especially when it comes to the squad and the players because they're used to that type of football."

Potter and Rodgers are available after leaving Chelsea and Leicester City, respectively, while Maresca is part of Pep Guardiola's backroom team at Manchester City.

Media speculation suggests Celtic coaches John Kennedy and coach Gavin Strachan are wanted by Postecoglou at Spurs. However, Mjallby believes former Celtic teammate Kennedy could be a continuity candidate.

"John knows the club inside out. He's been there forever," said Mjallby on Sportsound. "He was the under-21 coach when I was assistant to Neil Lennon. And then obviously since then assistant to Brendan, with Neil again and then Ange.

"He should be in the running, if he wants the job. He's got so much experience, he knows the club, he knows the players. If he wants to go down south to Tottenham, you just have to let him go. You can't have a guy that's going to be stopped. Your heart and soul needs to be in it."

Potter made his name with Ostersunds in Mjallby's native Sweden, while the former international defender has kept an eye on the work done by Knutsen at Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt, who crushed Celtic in the 2021-22 Europa Conference League.

"I've followed Bodo/Glimt quite a lot," he said. "They play the kind of football quite similar to the Ange way. Knutsen is experienced.

"[Potter] would be a good fit as well. Unfortunately the Chelsea job didn't go as well as we all thought but he's a very, very good coach. He creates a great atmosphere. That is a very good name.

"Maresca, we know he's going to be a fantastic coach, obviously being an understudy to Pep Guardiola. Is he a manager? It's different to be a coach to being a manager. He might be fine in that position. It needs to be a guy that can handle the pressure, not only be a good coach."

Celtic