Jonny Hayes Celtic Return Update as Academy Vacancy Remains

Former Celtic wide-man Jonny Hayes has been linked with a return to the club in a coaching role with the under-18s.

The Hoops are on the lookout for a replacement for Stuart McLaren, who was in the role for just over two years.

Charlie Mulgrew, Adam Asghar, and Hayes have been linked, with the latter currently gaining coaching experience with Aberdeen’s under-16s. Hayes is also part of interim boss’ Peter Leven’s backroom team in a dual playing role.

His contract with the club expires at the end of the season, and Leven expects him to remain at the club until then. He said: [RecordSport] “They (Aberdeen under-18s) have Games and also the Youth Cup Final, so we are stretched in that just now and Jonny is helping out.

“I don’t know what he is going to do after that (contract expiration). Jonny will play when I need him and he is still there. We are a little bit stretched for coaches, which is why we are all chipping in. Scott and Jonny are helping out.”

Many assume that Hayes will hang his boots up at the season’s end and go into coaching full-time. While Celtic bringing him back to the club in such a capacity may not appease the majority, he does have a respectable reputation in the Dons’ academy.

Leven said: “Jonny has opened that door by coaching the Under-16s here. I have seen him put on a couple of sessions and he’s a decent coach. What Jonny wants to do, we will support him.”

We will likely be given more coherence surrounding the under-18s role at Celtic come the summer.

Whether it be Mulgrew, Hayes, or Asghar who gets the job, it will be an intriguing appointment as the club makes some key changes to the academy set-up.