Former Celtic attacker and coach Shaun Maloney is set to be promoted within Roberto Martinez’s Belgium set-up after Thierry Henry left his position as assistant manager to take charge of Monaco.
Henry has taken up his first management position, leaving room for Maloney to rise through the ranks and land his former job, continuing his relationship with former Wigan boss Martinez, say The Daily Record.
Maloney left his role as a reserve team coach at Celtic earlier this year to concentrate on his international duties and it’s becoming clear he has a bright future coaching at the elite level.
Martinez recently spoke highly of the former Scotland international’s credentials.
As quoted by The Record, the World Cup semi-finalist said:
He’s deep into football and his life is about football. He is someone that I really enjoyed having as a player.
Already he’s brought something of his experience internationally and at club level – that is very, very helpful for our players and our way of working.
He’s a man that has got a fantastic potential coaching career.
Whether he takes a step into management or remains behind the scenes will become clearer in time, but it’s nice to have a Celtic minded coach out there learning, improving and working with some of the best players in the game.
Will we one day see him back at Celtic Park?
A homegrown Hoops talent, he made over 200 appearances for the club in two spells, winning 13 trophies in the process. That’s the kind of record that will make him a man popular with supporters for many years to come.