Abu Dhabi: John Robertson, the former Celtic assistant coach, has ruled out a dream reunion between himself and the Bhoys' former boss Martin O'Neill and claims Paul Lambert should become the Hoops' new manager.
Robertson – who also hailed Roy Keane as a possible replacement for Ronny Deila – and O'Neill presided over one of the most glorious eras in the Glasgow giants' history, steering them to seven major trophies between 2000 and 2005 and a Uefa Cup runners-up spot in 2003.
But Robertson, who has not coached since leaving Aston Villa with O'Neill in 2010, is also unsure whether his friend, the current Republic of Ireland coach, would want to return to Glasgow for a second stint.
The Scottish Premier League champions are looking for a new manager to replace Deila, who ended his two-year tenure with the club at the end of the season.
The former Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, is the bookmakers' favourite to replace the Norwegian after having held talks with the club this week.
O'Neill, his Republic of Ireland assistant, Keane, and Lambert have also been heavily linked with the Parkhead vacancy.
Speaking to Gulf News in an exclusive telephone interview, the 63-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Scotland winger Robertson said of the unlikely prospect O'Neill returning: “Celtic is a great club and I had a fantastic experience there and I loved every minute of my time. Martin [O'Neill] is a great manager, but I don't know if he'd go back. I haven't spoken to him about it.
“I don't think I would because I've not been keeping in the best of health in the last two or three years and you need to be fully fit.”
Of possible alternatives to O'Neill, Robertson added: “Martin's assistant at Ireland would be good, Roy Keane. He's Celtic through and through, loves the club and played for them as well. I've not really thought who else.
“Paul Lambert, who we had as a player, he'd be a good choice for me. I think he was a little unfortunate at [Aston] Villa as he did a fantastic job at Norwich.”
The former midfielder Lambert, who won nine major trophies in eight years with Celtic between 1997 and 2005, left Championship side Blackburn Rovers earlier this month after only six months in charge.
He has previously managed Livingston in Scotland and English outfits Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City and Aston Villa, where he was sacked in February 2015.
Of Lambert's qualities, Robertson said: “He's very enthusiastic. He gets respect from the players and he knows the game.”
Robertson was even more effusive in his praise of O'Neill, who has led the Republic of Ireland to this summer's European Championships in France, three years after being sacked by Sunderland.
“As far as Martin were concerned, Sunderland should have held their nerve, there's no doubt about that,” Robertson said. “He'd have kept them up anyway and it would have worked out under him anyway in my eyes. He shouldn't have lost his job; he's an outstanding manager.
“He knows how to communicate with players. Whoever gets him if he leaves the Republic will be a lucky club. I don't know if that will be this year or in two, three or four years.
“He's a mate of mine so I am biased, but I feel that genuinely.”
Robertson and O'Neill's remarkable success with Nottingham Forest, who won the equivalent of the English Premier League, back-to-back European Cups and two League Cups in the late 1970s and early 1980s, were immortalised in last year's 'I Believe in Miracles' film.
How does O'Neill compare to Forest's colourful and charismatic manager, the late Brian Clough?
“He doesn't as far as nature is concerned,” Robertson replied. “But they both command respect and are both great communicators, but he certainly hasn't set out to be like him.
“I think he's taken some of his principles, but how he would put them across would be entirely different.”
Meanwhile, Robertson expressed his delight that Celtic and Rangers would renew their ferocious rivalry in the Scottish Premier League next season. Rangers return to the Scottish top flight after an absence of four years, after they were demoted to the bottom tier of the game following liquidation.
But Robertson says the only way the two Glasgow clubs could compete for the best players with their English rivals, who enjoy ever-growing television revenue millions, would be to play in the English Premier League.
“But whether that would happen, I can't see it,” he added.
