SHAUN MALONEY has left Celtic to concentrate fully on his new coaching role with the Belgium national side. The former Celtic star is now going to work full-time as No 3 in the management team alongside manager Roberto Martinez and his No 2 Thierry Henry.
Maloney developed a strong working relationship with Martinez at Wigan and this has led to the opportunity to coach some of the best footballers in the world in the Belgium national side – who earlier this month thumped Scotland at Hampden by 4-0.
Maloney, on a statement on the Celtic website said:
“I would like to thank Brendan and Peter for giving me this great opportunity at Celtic, and it is one I have enjoyed immensely. The past year has been a great opportunity for me to work with the young players at the club, and it has been a role I have given everything to.
“The players and staff have been a pleasure to work with and I would like to thank them all for the time we have had together. All the players in the squad work tirelessly each day and I am sure many of these young players will see this pay off in the next few years as they start to make an impression at first team level.
“I have had a brilliant time at Celtic in this coaching role. The club is such a great institution with great people and the best supporters of all. Celtic will always be my club and I wish everyone connected to the club every success for the future.”
Speaking about Maloney’s move to join up with Martinez, the Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers had this to say:
“I was delighted when Shaun secured this fantastic international opportunity but fully understand the full-time demands of this role. We fully appreciate and respect his decision to move on.
“He has done a fantastic job already at Celtic working alongside Tommy McIntyre and made a real contribution to the Club. I am sure he will go on and do the very same with the Belgian national team, working with great people in Roberto Martinez and Thierry Henry. Everyone at Celtic wishes Shaun the very best for the future.”
And Peter Lawwell, who met with a group of Celtic supporters last night to discuss the events in the summer window among other things, added:
“We are disappointed to lose Shaun but fully understand and respect his decision.
“We understand the commitments required at first-team international level and we wish him well in his future with the Belgian FA at such a successful and exciting time for the country.
“Shaun has given the club great service in his role with our Reserve squad and, of course, over so many years as a player, and we wish him nothing but success.”
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