An anti-Israel Celtic fan group is opposing the potential appointment of Robbie Keane as manager of the Glaswegian club on the basis of his stint in charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Keane led the Israeli side to the league title in the 2023/24 season, his only full season in the Jewish state, which coincided with Israel’s war with Hamas after October 7.
Celtic Fans for the Liberation of Palestine said that they “oppose the proposed appointment” of Keane, who spent the second half of the 2009/10 season at Celtic as a player.
“Celtic supporters have a long and proud history of solidarity with the Palestinian people,” the letter read.
“For us, Robbie Keane’s decision to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv during the genocide in Gaza is impossible to ignore.
“To choose to manage a club in Israel while, less than 40 miles away, the same country was using indiscriminate weapons of mass murder against a defenceless people is unconscionable.”
Keane became manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv in June 2023, three months before October 7. During his tenure, he neither endorsed nor criticised Israel’s military actions, drawing criticism from both inside and outside the country.
The CFLP letter continues: “Celtic was founded by a community shaped by the legacy of genocide, displacement and famine. Our club’s roots lie in solidarity with those who suffered injustice and oppression. We cannot forget where we came from, nor turn our backs on those facing genocide today.
“At a time when Celtic requires unity and collective purpose, this appointment would be deeply divisive among the support. It would also represent a predictable and uninspiring choice at a moment when greater ambition is needed.
“We urge the Celtic board to listen to supporters’ concerns and reconsider this appointment.”
CFLP are not the only group to have voiced opposition to the links with Keane. Show Israeli Genocide the Red Card, a campaign group advocating for the sporting and cultural boycott of the Jewish state, supported the CFLP statement.
A post on their Instagram account said: “Robbie Keane managed a team in Israel during the most horrific months of its onslaught on Gaza.
“By acting as manager and failing to speak up on Israel's genocide on Gaza, he is essentially normalising the genocide in Gaza.
“This does not line up with the values that Celtic FC was founded on and that are shared by a huge proportion of their fan base.”
A group of six Celtic fans were pictured outside Celtic Park on Wednesday with a banner reading: “Desmonds and Keane – f*** off”.
Irish businessman Dermot Desmond is the largest individual shareholder of Celtic.
Keane has had a successful managerial career to date; after winning the Israeli league title in 2023/24, he won the Hungarian league with Ferencváros during his year in charge.
As a player, he spent eight years between two stints at Tottenham Hotspur, as well as, among others, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, and LA Galaxy. To this day he is the Irish national team’s top goalscorer, with 68 goals in 146 appearances.
This season, Celtic won the Scottish Premier League in dramatic circumstances, beating league rivals Hearts on the final day of the season.
Their fans have traditionally had an affinity for with the Palestinian cause, and Palestine flags are often visible among the home crowd at Celtic Park.
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