Another academy departure, another silence from Parkhead.
Adam Asghar has left Celtic, stepping down as the club’s Under-19s head coach, and there has been no official announcement from the club about either his exit or a permanent replacement. Stevie Hammell and Chris Hendry are understood to be covering the age group in a makeshift arrangement while Celtic works out what comes next.
As is so often the case with academy staffing changes at Celtic, supporters have been left to piece this one together themselves. Asghar’s LinkedIn profile is the only available confirmation of his departure, with his Under-19 spell shown as having ended the previous month. Celtic has not publicly confirmed the change, and there has been no word on succession planning for a position that matters more than the club’s communication habits would suggest.
How Asghar Got Here
Asghar joined Celtic from Southampton in 2024, arriving with a reputation as a highly-rated Scottish coach. He initially took charge of the Under-18s before being promoted to lead the Under-19s, a natural progression for a coach the club clearly rated at the time.
Chris Hendry, previously his assistant, is now reported to be conducting the bulk of Under-19 training, with Stevie Hammell increasingly drawn into the age group as a result of Asghar’s exit. It’s a sensible enough short-term fix, but it is exactly that – short-term, and unannounced.
A Structure Left In Limbo
Asghar did not leave Celtic for another role. He is currently without a club, which only sharpens the questions around how this departure came about and why the Hoops have said nothing publicly about it. For a development pathway that is supposed to feed young players through to senior football, losing the man in charge of the Under-19s without explanation is not a good look.
None of this means the Under-19s are being neglected – Hammell and Hendry are experienced hands, and the age group will keep training and competing regardless of who holds the title. But Celtic’s academy is meant to be the foundation of everything the first team eventually inherits, and right now there’s no clarity on who’s actually steering it long-term.
Mon The Hoops.
