Shaun Maloney Takes Charge of Celtic's Attack
Shaun Maloney is stepping out of the shadows at Celtic – and straight into the firing line with the club’s forwards.
The assistant manager has confirmed he will now take a far more hands-on role with the attacking players after a reshuffle in Martin O’Neill’s backroom staff, with Gavin Strachan and Greg Wallace moving on.
Maloney, speaking after Celtic’s Scottish Premiership clash with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on 9 August, explained that his remit is shifting from background work to the sharp end of the pitch.
The former Celtic playmaker will now pick up the detailed, one-to-one work with the forwards that Strachan and Wallace previously led.
“I have picked up the individual work with the attacking players after games,” he told The Herald. “Last season it was Gavin Strachan who did that. I can't take any credit for that! We also had Greg Wallace, who went to Saudi with Brendan Rodgers recently, and those two were really good with the individual stuff. I was doing things away from the pitch more, so I will pick more of that up this season.
“Stephen McManus and Mark Fotheringham do their stuff with different positions, but it was Gav and Greg who did the attacking work.”
That change lands at a crucial moment. The fight for places in Celtic’s front line is tightening, and every training session now carries a little more edge.
Yang Hyun-jun, Jota, James Forrest, Sebastian Tounekti and summer signing Camilo Duran are all jostling for roles in O’Neill’s attacking set-up, with Haissem Hassan expected to add yet another option out wide. It is a crowded room. Maloney’s job is to help separate contenders from passengers.
O’Neill’s Approach
O’Neill has already laid down a clear blueprint for his wide players. He wants risk-takers. Wingers who see a full-back in front of them and smell opportunity, not danger.
Explaining that approach, Maloney said: “Martin is really aggressive in that he wants wingers to take on their opponent when we create a one-v-one.
“He gives the wingers the confidence that they can do that and that they shouldn't worry about losing it.”
The message is blunt: be brave, be direct, and live with the consequences. For Celtic’s attackers, and for Maloney in his expanded role, this season will be judged on what happens in those moments when there is nowhere to hide but in front of goal.
