Kjetil Nutsen has emerged as the new bookies’ favourite to become The Bhoys’ next permanent manager, with markets shifting rapidly after Thursday’s disappointing loss. One UK bookmaker now has the Bodo/Glimt boss priced at 13/8, ahead of Martin O’Neill at 4/1 and Kieran McKenna at 6/1.
Former boss Ange Postecoglou sits further back at 10/1 alongside Wilfried Nancy, while Lee Carsley and Robbie Keane are among the longer odds. If you’re looking to have a flutter on who will take the reins, Brett Curtis from Esports Insider has put together a list of safe UK betting options. These platforms offer generous welcome promotions and fast payouts, so you can make the most of your bet on the next Hoops boss.
The speculation around Nutsen comes after our poor defeat to Midtjylland, where the gulf in intensity was obvious. O’Neill steadied the ship in the first two games, but that eight-minute collapse in Denmark showed how fragile confidence remains.
We were second best for long spells and failed to impose ourselves until late on. Of course, a single result shouldn’t define an interim spell. Still, the manner of the loss has reignited talk about who will lead us forward long-term.
Knutsen’s name has come up before, and it’s not hard to see why. The 57-year-old has built a reputation at Bodo/Glimt as one of Europe’s sharpest modern coaches. Four league titles and a Europa League semi-final with a Norwegian side tell their own story. Plus, his teams play with control, intensity, and cohesion, which are things we’ve lacked in patches this season.
Knutsen favours a 4-3-3 with a high press. He also likes full-backs who tuck in, and wide players who work as hard defensively as they do going forward, similar to Jurgen Klopp’s tactics at Liverpool in previous years.
We’ve seen this approach up close before. When Bodo/Glimt dismantled Postecoglou’s team in the Conference League, the contrast in organisation was hard to ignore. The Norwegian side pressed with intelligence, kept shape under pressure, and punished every mistake. That memory still lingers among supporters who value tactical discipline as much as flair. Knutsen would demand both.
His current frustrations at Bodo/Glimt are telling. Speaking after a recent loss to Vålerenga, he admitted his team looked “tired and a little empty”. He also went on to say that they “simply didn’t have the energy and power”. This was an unusually open admission from a manager known for high standards, which perhaps hints the time could be right for a new challenge elsewhere.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be straightforward for Celtic to get their man. His contract at Bodo/Glimt runs until December, and he operates within a model that rewards him with a share of player sales. This is something unlikely to align with Celtic’s structure.
Right now, he represents the type of candidate we should be targeting. He’s successful, progressive, and tested on the European stage. Whether he could slot into Celtic’s model remains to be seen, but the bookmakers currently see him as the frontrunner.
Ultimately, the timing may be key. If he becomes available at the end of the year, the decision-makers at Celtic Park will have to decide if continuity under O’Neill outweighs the opportunity to start fresh under Knutsen.
