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Fullname: Shaun Richard Maloney
aka: Shaun Maloney
Born: 24 Jan 1983
Birthplace: Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia
Signed: 7 July 1999, Trainee
Position: Forward/Wide Midfield
Debut: Rangers v Celtic, SPL, 29 April 2001
Departure: Signed for Aston Villa 31 Jan 2007, transfer fee £1m, Wigan Athletic 31 August 2011
2nd Signing: 22nd Aug 2008: £2.5m transfer back to Celtic from Aston Villa
2nd Departure: 31 August 2011, transfer fee £850,000 to Wigan Athletic
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 47
International Goals: 7
Biog![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/2866a264f72ac4453b6c402f2a44f62b "[Untitled]")
A product of the Celtic youth system Shaun Maloney burst onto the scene during Celtic’s incredible treble-winning season of 2000/01.
A multi-talented young sportsman, Shaun had previously represented Scotland Cricket in an Under-13 match.
The diminutive striker made his first-team début for Celtic with an impressive cameo performance as a second half substitute in a 3-0 demolition of Rangers at Ibrox in April 2001.
His appearances may have been fleeting but the teenage Maloney had showed more than enough to suggest that here was a star in the making. With blistering pace, an excellent touch and a dead ball specialist Maloney was one of the most exciting talents to emerge from the Celtic youth ranks in years, overshadowing the more lauded Aiden McGeady.
He even grabbed a breath place in the UEFA Cup Final, coming on late in Extra Time. He could have become a hero with a free-kick opportunity to bring us back into the game but alas it wasn’t to be. However, it showed faith in him by the management to play him in such a game and at such a point.
Problem was thought that Celtic was blessed with the fine striking triumvirate of Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson, so Maloney’s opportunities would be limited and the excitement of his immediate impact waned just a little.
By February 2004 he had made 77 appearances and scored 21 goals but was still very much regarded as a promising fringe player rather than an automatic first team choice – even though the great Larsson had now moved on. Disaster then struck when in a Celtic Under-21 game against Partick Thistle he suffered cruciate ligament damage. It was a bitter blow – but one which was softened when Celtic rewarded him with a new 3-year contract.
That knee injury sidelined Maloney for a year and even when he returned to full fitness the striker found himself well out of the first team picture. That was clearly illustrated when Martin O’Neill left Maloney out of the squad for the 2005 Scottish Cup final – his last game in charge of the Hoops.
So by the start of the 2005-06 season Shaun’s Celtic career looked in serious threat of ending before it really had a chance to begin. A loan move north to Aberdeen seemed a real possibility at one stage while Livingston also expressed an interest in the player.
However, Maloney impressed new Parkhead boss Gordon Strachan with his attitude and application on the training ground and he forced himself back into contention for a first team starting spot.
Under the new regime Maloney was quickly established as a first team regular. For so long regarded as a forward, Maloney was now turning in fine performances in the left of midfield. He relished the opportunity of regular first team football. His energetic and skilful displays gave Celtic a real cutting edge.
Within a matter of weeks the Malaysian-born player had gone from the fringes on the first team to being the club’s – and indeed the SPL’s – stand-out performer. His stunning strike against Rangers in the CIS Cup tie at Celtic Park in November underlined that Maloney now had the confidence to deliver the goods on the big stage. He was no longer a promising youth, but a match-winner.
As the season progressed Maloney remained consistently excellent. Small in stature, big in heart Maloney was at last fulfilling the potential everyone knew he possessed. By the end of the campaign Celtic had claimed the CIS Cup and the league championship. Maloney enjoyed personal triumphs as well and was voted both Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.
The Celtic support now regarded Maloney as a talisman – a far cry from 12 months previous – and expectations were high that the youngster would continue to improve and become even more important to the Hoops. But injuries and a dip in form saw the double player of the year once more scraping for a starting spot with the in form Aiden McGeady, now seemingly the preferred choice for left midfield slot.
Uncertainty also surrounded Maloney’s future as he entered the last year of his contract. Maloney appeared reluctant to commit himself to Celtic and many in the support believed that reluctance contributed to the dip in form. As the season moved into 2007 speculation began to grow that Maloney’s time in Glasgow was nearing an end. The player had been offered a reported £18,000 a week contract but was allegedly holding out for more, even though the deal offered would have made him one of Parkhead’s very top earners.
His future was finally resolved on January 31st when, with just minutes to go before the closing of the transfer window, Maloney agreed a £25,000 a week, three and a half year deal with Aston Villa. The English club – now managed by Martin O’Neill – paying Celtic £1 million to secure his services immediately rather than wait six months to take him on a Bosman free transfer.
The move was a major disappointment to the Celtic fans, many who believed Maloney had let them down by leaving in the manner he did. An undoubted talent, the Hoops faithful thought Maloney had a lot more to offer and that he hadn’t yet reached his full potential. Furthermore given the club’s commitment to the player when he was injured there was a sense that Maloney owed Celtic more than one good season.
His decision to turn his back on a deal which the vast majority of Celtic fans thought generous left a bad taste in the mouth for some. But that was not to be the last the Hoops support would see of Maloney.
Second stint
Within months of his move to Villa Park the player was being linked with a return to the Bhoys. It was clear that the player could not settle down south and regular rumours would circulate about an imminent return to Parkhead. Clearly unhappy in Birmingham, Maloney saw his chances at Villa restricted. In the summer of 2008 Rangers were even linked with a move for the Scotland international but the talk of a return to Celtic would not go away.
On 22nd Aug 2008, Maloney finally ended the speculation when he completed a reported £2.5 million deal to Celtic (Link). If some supporters were sceptical about the move the player quickly won them over on his second début when he came off the bench to produce a superb performance in Celtic’s 3-0 home win over Falkirk on August 23rd.
It was not however going to be a fairytale season for the prodigal son. Plagued by injuries Maloney would be sidelined for much of the campaign and apart from a few fleeting cameos he remained largely a spectator as Celtic’s bid for a fourth successive championship ended in failure.
With the arrival of Tony Mowbray as Celtic boss in the summer of 2009 Sean quickly established himself as a regular starter and his early performances in the 2009-10 season suggested he was back to top form and fitness. However, again injuries destroyed his season and he missed out again on most of the season in what was a disastrous year. Question was whether some of the problems with his injuries was really just psychological (as some were to wonder).
The following season under new manager, Neil Lennon, would follow a depressingly familiar template. As in previous seasons, Maloney would be in excellent form in the early part of the season, being a key component of Lennon’s attacking formation wide on the left and being selected as stand-in captain when Scott Brown succumbed to injury. Unfortunately injury would yet again strike and decimate the remainder of Maloney’s season, and with the signing of Kris Commons to play in a similar position to Maloney, the writing was on the wall. He needed a fresh start.
On transfer deadline day, 31st August 2011, Shaun signed for English Premier League team Wigan Athletic on a 3 year deal with a transfer fee of around £850,000. It was sad to see him go but we wished him all the best for the future.
Post-Celtic playing
Not the last to hear of him. In Nov 2014, he had the honour of scoring the winning goal for the home side once more at Celtic again. However, this time it was for Scotland v Ireland, being played at Celtic Park in the Euro qualifiers due to renovation at Hampden following the Commonwealth Games. Strange to support a team in blue against one in green at our home but there you go. In any case, it was a nice touch to have a Celtic man to be the match winner in this match, and all Celtic fans were proud to see Maloney to have been the scorer. It wasn’t a one-off, as he also scored the equaliser in the away leg in Dublin (albeit a deflected goal).
Post Playing
In Aug 2017, he retired from playing giving up a chance to continue with Aberdeen, and returned to Celtic in a coaching role with the U20s.
He moved to Belguim in a coaching role as a second assistant to manager Roberto Martinez with their national side.
He then returned back to Scotland to a short unsuccessful spell with Hibernian. He returned to Wigan as their manager in 2023.
[…]
Quotes
‘I do really regret how it was handled… It was certainly something I didn’t want to do…’
Shaun Maloney discusses his regrets leaving Celtic (2021)
Playing Career
| CLUB | FROM | TO | FEE | LEAGUE | FA CUP | LGE CUP | OTHER | ||||
| APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | ||||
| Wigan | 31-Aug-11 | £1,000,000 | No appearance data available | ||||||||
| Celtic | 22-Aug-08 | 31-Aug-11 | Signed | 38 (16) | 13 | 1 (1) | 1 | 2 (2) | 0 | 13 (3) | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 31-Jan-07 | 22-Aug-08 | £1,000,000 | 16 (14) | 5 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 (0) | 2 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Celtic | 07-Jul-99 | 31-Jan-07 | Trainee | 51 (53) | 26 | 4 (4) | 1 | 9 (2) | 8 | 5 (10) | 2 |
|
APPEARANCES
|
LEAGUE
|
SCOTTISH CUP
|
LEAGUE CUP
|
EUROPE
|
TOTAL
|
|
2000/2001
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Goals
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2001/2002
|
16
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
20
|
|
Goals
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
10
|
|
2002/2003
|
20
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
30
|
|
Goals
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
|
2003/2004
|
17
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
23
|
|
Goals
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
|
2004/2005
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Goals
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2005/2006
|
36
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
43
|
|
Goals
|
13
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
16
|
|
2006/2007
|
9
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
15
|
|
Goals
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2008/2009
|
21
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
30
|
|
Goals
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
11
|
|
2009/2010
|
10
|
4
|
1
|
6
|
21
|
|
Goals
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
2010/2011
|
21
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
26
|
|
Goals
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
|
2011/2012
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
|
Goals
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
TOTAL APPEARANCES
|
159
|
10
|
15
|
31
|
215
|
|
TOTAL GOALS
|
39
|
2
|
8
|
3
|
52
|
Honours with Celtic
Scottish Premier League
Scottish Cup
League Cup
Scottish PFA
- Player’s Player of the year 2006
Scottish PFA
- Young footballer of the year 2006
| KDS Honours | ||
| MOTM Winners 2008-09 | ||
| 23-Aug-08 | Celtic 3-0 Falkirk | SPL |
| MOTM Winners 2009-10 | ||
| 22-Aug-09 |
Celtic 5-2 St Johnstone |
SPL |
| MOTM Winners 2010-11 | ||
| 14-Aug-10 |
ICT 0-1 Celtic |
SPL |
| 29-Aug-10 |
Motherwell 0-1 Celtic |
SPL |
| 11-Sep-10 |
Celtic 3-0 Heart of Midlothian |
SPL |
Pictures
Articles
Below article sums up feelings of many Celtic fans on his departure in 2007
(even though it has been written by Darryl Broadfoot!)
Maloney will have plenty to prove in reunion with O’Neill
SHAUN Maloney last night swopped the thrilling prospect of a Champions League tie against AC Milan for the monotonous mediocrity of mid-table Premiership football at Aston Villa. The SPFA footballer of year cannot be accused of lacking in conviction or self-belief but the wisdom of his reunion with Martin O’Neill is questionable.
It seems the 22-year-old will end a year of unsuccessful renegotiation with Celtic and join O’Neill’s rebuilding project in Birmingham. Gordon Strachan and Peter Lawwell can be excused a feeling of betrayal but for the sake of a few dollars more, Maloney has adopted a high-risk strategy in career development and reputation.
Frankly, any footballer fortunate enough to fulfil his childhood ambitions would consider the dilemma a no-brainer: a visit to the San Siro is a far more appealing proposition than a scrap against Reading at the Madejski Stadium. On many levels, Maloney’s departure is curious.
His Celtic career only took off when O’Neill, well, took off and while he has cut a frustrated and, at times, forlorn figure on the substitutes’ bench this season, injury has often been the cause of his inactivity. There is no doubt his contractual impasse affected his infrequent performances this season – just two 90-minute outings among them – but Strachan has declared himself a man devoid of squad favourites. Aiden McGeady started the season as the man in form but has since been usurped by Derek Riordan, whose belated impact has spared him a short-lived Celtic career.
The arrival of the gargantuan John Carew at Aston Villa has re-emphasised O’Neill’s vision at Villa and while Maloney’s game has evolved under Strachan, there are no guarantees he would be a first pick for his former manager. O’Neill, in fact, found many and varied ways of keeping Maloney out of the Celtic team; Alan Thompson and Steve Guppy dominating the left side of midfield and, justifiably, Chris Sutton, Henrik Larsson and John Hartson diminishing his prospects as a striker.
Celtic are understood to have been willing to pay Maloney £16,000-per-week to stay and reclaim his place. Instead, he has accepted a Premiership premium rate of around £20,000-per-week. For a youngster who has still in the process of fashioning a reputation in the game, earning capacity should be secondary to professional ambition. Which is why Celtic have continually expressed concern over the influence exerted by his agent, John Halliwell.
The upshot is that Maloney will be a richer man playing in a more prestigious league. Yet he only has to look at Stiliyan Petrov’s situation to learn that the grass is rarely greener outside Paradise.
Ask Thompson, Hartson and Sutton where they would rather be and the response would be unanimous. Celtic have ample cover in his position but Maloney may have misread the situation.
Rumours persist that Strachan and McGeady have a fractious relationship that shows no sign of easing, confirmed by the manager’s inclination to continually laud Maloney as the model of the modern professional until recent developments. Loyalty is a scarce commodity in football. While Maloney has privately bemoaned the £40,000-per-week wages enjoyed by the unfathomable Thomas Gravesen, the Dane is a senior player with a CV including Real Madrid and Everton. Maloney was offered a generous contract for a player with only one full season as a first-team regular and a medical history that includes cruciate ligament damage and, more recently, ankle and groin problems.
Celtic stood by him through his various ailments, as is the employers’ moral and contractual obligation, but the lack of reciprocation must rankle. Maloney still has it all to prove.
01 Feb 2007 The Herald
Maloney up for the challenges ahead
(22 August 2008)
Gregor Kyle
THE bright lights of the English Premiership draw players from every continent, all desperate to make their name on the world’s most publicised stage.
But having started life at Celtic Park, for Shaun Maloney there was something missing, the constant pressure and strain that had punctuated every day his day in Glasgow.
For some that weight of expectation is too much to bear, but as the midfielder spoke about his return home after penning a four-year contract, he explained that he had a ‘green’ eye trained on Glasgow during his time at Aston Villa.
“I was envious,” said Maloney, “particularly watching the Champions League run that we had and the way that the league was won last year.
“I was just envious and wanted to be a part of it. I don’t think that’s a bad thing and I was happy at the same time, because I still know quite a few people here.
“One of the things that I really missed was the pressure,” he continued, “the tension that is there every week and the knowledge that you need to win, otherwise your rivals across the city will benefit.
“Not having that pressure is something that I wasn’t used to and there were others things I missed, like the support on European nights.
“I just think that because I came through the ranks at the club, it meant so much more for me to play here.
“The only thing that I can say to justify it, without being disrespectful to Aston Villa, is that they have players who have come through the ranks, like Gabi Agbonlahor and I know what the fans feel about them and I know how they feel about the club. I can only say that it’s the same for me at Celtic.”
The midfielder spoke candidly about the past year and a half at Villa Park and about his decision to leave Glasgow at a time when, for many, he was beginning to fulfil his undoubted potential.
“Leaving Celtic was a mistake and I shouldn’t have come to the decision that I had to leave,” he commented, admitting that he now faces a fight to re-establish himself in the side.
“The squad is a lot stronger now,” he said. “I will have a right hard battle trying to get in this team and I know that, but it’s a battle I am looking forward to.
“I have learned a lot in the past year and a half, about how to deal with different situations. It will take me a while to get my match fitness back, but I am looking forward to it.
“I am not sure what reception to expect and I know there were a lot of people unhappy with me leaving and I can understand that.
“Hopefully it’s a good reception and if it’s mixed, then hopefully my performances will show that I am committed and happy to be here.
“I know it’s going to be difficult and I know that winning round the fans is one of the main things I’ll have to do.
“I have to produce the right performances and get them back round. Leaving was a decision that I might have got wrong and hopefully they won’t hold it against me too much.
“That mistake was made by myself and I didn’t handle the whole contract situation too well. Villa was a great club, the fans were brilliant, but I shouldn’t have come to that decision in the first place.
Thankfully the transfer has gone through now and I have a fresh start.”
Maloney leaves Celtic for Wigan
August 31, 2011
By ESPNsoccernet staff
Shaun Maloney will attempt to prove he can cut it in the Premier League after sealing a £1 million move from Celtic to Wigan.
Shaun Maloney’s last stint in English football was a frustrating season with Aston Villa in 2007-08
Maloney’s last foray into English football ended after just one full season at Aston Villa, as his failure to become a first-team regular in the Midlands saw him return to Celtic in 2008.
But after three years back at Parkhead, Maloney has decided to test himself south of the border once again, following the likes of Gary Caldwell, James McCarthy and James McArthur from the SPL to the DW Stadium.
Manager Roberto Martinez said Maloney’s season-long spell at Aston Villa in 2007-08 before returning to Celtic for a second time would help him settle in quickly.
”His previous experience in the Premier League will be a great platform to start his Wigan Athletic career,” he added. ”Now we want to make sure he enjoys that homely feeling at our football club to be able to bring his magic to our strong group of players.”
Maloney will link up with former Celtic team-mate Gary Caldwell at the DW Stadium and is relishing the prospect.
”As soon as I found out about the move I got excited,” he said. ”The gaffer likes to play the right way and there’s a tremendous squad here full of great potential.
”I need to focus on winning a place in the team and doing the best I can for the team. I want to thank everyone at Celtic which has been my life for so long now, and especially all the fans. But I’ve got an exciting challenge now and I can’t wait to get started.”
Maloney has scored 52 goals in 215 games across two spells with Celtic and has been capped 20 times by Scotland.
Exclusive Interview: Shaun Maloney On His Club Career, Coaching With Belgium & Managing Hibernian
10 November 2022
21:27
Clipped from : https://worldfootballindex.com/2022/11/exclusive-interview-shaun-maloney-on-his-club-career-coaching-with-belgium-managing-hibernian/
An interview with Shaun Maloney, by Callum McFadden for WFi.
You came into the Celtic first team in the era of Henrik Larsson and Martin O’Neill in the early 2000s. How did it feel to train with those players and then play alongside them?
“Believe it or not, I actually did not train with them regularly before I made my debut against Rangers in 2001.
“I trained only once before making my debut and that was the day before the match itself.
“I was taken out of a reserve game at half-time and told that I would be training with the first team the following day.
“I had only played for the reserve team twice prior to that so everything moved quickly for me at Celtic at that time.
“I had trained twice with the first team prior to Martin O’Neill arriving at the club but that was down to luck on my part because two youth players would be ball boys at first-team training.
“On two occasions when I was doing that under John Barnes due to an injury in a training match, I was asked to fill in.
“Those were the first opportunities that I had to train with the first team but I was just an extra body so it was not until the day before my debut that I trained with them on merit.
“Only training with them once before playing meant that I did not have a massive build-up to match day and meant that I was not too fazed by who I was playing with or against.”
Can you talk me through what your debut was like given such little buildup in training?
“Well, it was between myself and Mark Fotheringham as to which young player would be on the bench for the game against Rangers.
“We were roommates in a house in Barrhead but thankfully, on the day, it was me who made the squad for the game.
“Despite that, Mark and I still had to put the kit and the boots out pre-match because we were a part of the ground staff like all YTS players.
“Then, the match itself did not feel too alien to me because I had travelled with the first team as part of the ground staff before so I had experienced that environment before.
“Even when I came on, due to my age and inexperience at the time, I did not fully understand the magnitude of everything that is associated with playing in games against Rangers or how special winning against them 3-0 was.”
You quickly establish yourself in the Celtic first team under Martin O’Neill and you play in the run to the UEFA cup final of 2003. What was Martin like as a manager for a young player like yourself?
“First and foremost, Martin had played the game to such a high level and as a two-time European Cup winner, he commanded respect from everyone in the dressing room.
“As a manager, he was hard but fair. His instructions were clear and his demands were obvious to everyone within the team.
“If you performed well then you would earn the right to stay in his team and if you did not then you knew that you were out.
“He had such an aura as a person and I have never experienced another manager or coach with that aura since.
“The environment he created at Celtic was ultra competitive. Every training session was life or death. You had to be at the top of your game every single day because the demand to win was always there.
“It did not matter if it was a training session, a friendly, or a competitive game. You had to win.”
As a forward player, how much did you learn from Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson in particular?
“Henrik was of such a high standard that he was a level above everyone else at the club. He was genuinely one of the best forward players in the European game during his time at Celtic.
“He still had time for younger players and was gracious with his time. He was great with me with advice in training when it came to making runs for example.
“Chris and John were similar too. They were both very good and wanted to create a partnership with you that would help the team on a match day.
“Outwith those three, Paul Lambert was also an amazing player in his position and someone who I learned a lot from. He could talk you through a game and was also a European cup winner like Martin O’Neill was.
“Tom Boyd was similar at the beginning of my career. He was the perfect captain.
“Steve Guppy also had a big influence on my career. I ended up rooming with him and Steve was great with me.
“He set a positive example to younger players because he got absolutely everything out of his career through hard work and dedication.
“He would spend time with me after training to work on my technical skills.
“Looking back, I was very fortunate to have many top players and characters to learn from in a sink-or-swim environment.”
You picked up a serious in Martin O’Neill’s last season in charge. Every player wants to impress the next manager so did it worry you that Gordon Strachan replaced Martin while you were still working on returning from injury?
“It had a big impact on me for sure. I had a full off-season where I knew that I had to work extra hard to regain match sharpness and overall fitness to impress Gordon Strachan when he arrived at the club.
“I was actually on the verge of leaving the club on loan when Gordon arrived due to the lack of games that I played in the previous season due to my knee injury.
“I had interest from two SPFL clubs and one English championship club but, thankfully, I was able to force myself into Gordon’s plans in pre-season and stay at the club.
“Eventually, I earned my place in the team and never looked back during that season. I thrived by playing regularly rather than coming on partway through a game for Larsson, Sutton, Hartson or Bellamy, who were all top strikers who were at the club when Martin was in charge.”
Remarkably, you won the PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year in that very season. Your form led to interest in you from several clubs and you linked up with Martin O’Neill again at Aston Villa in January 2007. Was Martin the big factor in getting you to Villa?
“Yeah, he was, but I never wanted to leave Celtic. Even up until deadline day when I left for Villa, I still wanted to be staying at Celtic.
“I wanted to sign a long-term contract with the club but it became apparent that both sides were not going to meet and I left for Villa.
“I was young at the time but I regret not being more hands-on during that time because if I had the chance to sit down with Gordon and the owner of the club then I do not think I would ever have left.
“I wanted to stay and the club wanted me to stay but once an agreement was not reached, Villa bid and I joined up with Martin again.
“Villa is a massive club who have won the European Cup in their history. I was fortunate that I was joining another big club under a manager who I knew had faith in me.
“I enjoyed my time at Aston Villa as a whole and playing in the Premier League was a great experience too.
“Physically, it was more demanding than playing in Scotland due to the speed of the game and the amount of running that you had to do within a game.
“That was partly due to us facing teams such as Manchester United and co who dominated possession whereas, at Celtic, we dominated possession in every domestic game that we played in.
“Playing against teams like the Manchester United team that won the Champions League in 2008 was great.
“They had players such as Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand and Vidic.
“The level of opposition was high every single week and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Aston Villa. I am so glad that I experienced Villa at that time because we finished 6th in one of the best leagues in world football.”
You returned to Celtic in 2008 after 18 months at Villa Park. How did your second spell at Celtic compare with your first spell at the club?
“I wanted to return to Celtic at the first available opportunity because all I ever wanted to do as a young boy was play for Celtic.
“I grew up as a Celtic fan and, as I said earlier, I never wanted to leave the club when I did in my first spell.
“I loved the pressure that comes with being a Celtic player. I love the history and heritage that the club has and I missed that when I was away.
“Playing for your team is like no other feeling in football. I missed that and wanted it back.
“Overall, my second spell was one of transition. I also really struggled with injury, which did not help matters.
“I was injury free when I returned for the first six months then I did not have regular spells where I was able to play more than fifteen games without another injury.
“Unfortunately, the injuries I suffered were serious and I was not able to become a big part of the team which was difficult because that is not how I wanted things to go especially at the club that I love.
“We also had great moments where we took the league to the last day in 2009 and won the League Cup in that season. We should have won that league.
“Then, Gordon leaves and Tony Mowbray comes in. I loved Tony and for me; he was the right manager at the right club but at the wrong time.
“It was a period of real transition and, unfortunately, Tony loses his job less than a season after taking over, then Neil Lennon comes in as interim manager then as permanent manager.
“Neil had some great moments as Celtic manager and I have so much time for Neil. However, I knew that it was the end of the cycle for many of our players when Neil came in and you have to accept that and move on.
“Although my second spell was tough at the time, I do not regret coming back to Celtic because I was at the place where I most wanted to play football.”
You joined Wigan Athletic from Celtic and worked with Roberto Martinez for the first time. You scored some memorable goals, particularly against Manchester United, to save the club from relegation and win the FA Cup in 2013. Can you sum up what your time at Wigan was like as a whole?
“Roberto was brilliant to work for. The way that he set the team up and trusted us to play good football made us believe that on our day, we could beat anybody.
“In terms of the Manchester United goal, I am actually a Manchester United fan. They were the English club that I followed growing up and, being from Aberdeen, Sir Alex Ferguson was like a God to us.
“I would travel down to watch United at Old Trafford as a kid from school with the family but the goal that I scored against them was one of my most important because it kept us in the league that season.
“We needed to win or we were in big trouble but it was an incredible night. We were very good throughout the game and we deserved our victory. It was a performance that epitomised our approach under Roberto Martinez.
“It was not a realistic ambition for us to think that we could win a major trophy in England such as the FA Cup given our budget compared the most of the teams in the Premier League.
“However, that is what we achieved and it was the stuff of fairytales. We beat a top-class Manchester City team managed by Roberto Mancini at Wembley, which is such an iconic ground. It was the perfect day in many ways.
“Ben Watson’s header to win the game is one of the best headers that I have ever seen. If you watch the goal back, the angle at which he connects with the ball and where it hits the back of the net is extraordinary.
“It reminded me of the goal that Cristiano Ronaldo scored against Roma in the Champions League for Manchester United a few years prior.
“The best thing about winning that day was the fact that we went toe to toe with Manchester City. We created chances, we had similar possession and we deserved to win the game.
“They had players such as Yaya Toure, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany which makes it all the more pleasing when I look back because they were world-class players.
“Lifting the cup was a moment of pure joy. My family were at Wembley and that moment was the happiest that I have ever felt on a football pitch.
“No one expected us to win that trophy but we did it and it brought memories back of watching the FA Cup on TV as a kid with my dad.
“To be a part of the history of the FA Cup when you think of some of the iconic moments that have come before in the competition like Gascoigne’s free kick or Cantona’s volley is magical.”
You represented Scotland on 47 occasions and scored seven goals. What are your personal highlights from your time with the national team?
“It was a huge privilege to play for my country whenever I had the opportunity to do so.
“I have done every role as an international player. I’ve travelled and not played, I’ve come off the bench in games and I’ve started in key games too.
“It was such a huge source of pride for me and every cap meant the world to me.
“I love living in Scotland and I’ll always call Scotland home, so to be able to pull on that jersey was something that felt amazing every time.”
Following your retirement from playing, you moved into coaching with Celtic then the Belgian national team. What did you learn from those coaching roles in particular?
“I learned so much from working at Celtic under-20s when Brendan Rodgers was manager.
“That gave me a good grounding before Roberto called me and asked me to join him at Belgium.
“I learned so much from working with him because at Belgium, he was working with world-class players and as such, the tactical side of the game was incredibly detailed and the demands were very high because of the standard of player he had.
“Working with elite players was great for me as a young coach too because they are engaging and trust you to help them find new ways to beat opponents.
“Creating connections with them was important as was developing my sessions to tailor them to what the team needed.
“It was a massive privilege for me to work with Roberto and I loved working with young players as well as with experienced players like Kompany, Alderweireld and Vermaelen because you learned from them too.”
You most recently managed Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership. How would you reflect on your first experience as a first-team manager?
“The opportunity to manage Hibs arose in late 2021 and I was excited by the opportunity and my initial meetings.
“It was a huge learning experience for me during the four months that I was in charge and one that I know will make me stronger and wiser.
“I loved everything on the football side of things because the players were fantastic.
“They bought into everything that I asked from them and showed huge courage to go to the historically hardest stadiums and against the best teams in the league and try to impose our style on them.
“I knew that I had to do this from the very first match as I saw these months as building blocks towards moulding a team that had a mentality and way of playing to compete and beat the best in our league.
“I also changed the training periodisation which I knew the players would find difficult at the beginning.
“However, it brought big improvements in the team physically in a short period which was most evident in the performances of Kevin Nisbet.
“Unfortunately, just a matter of weeks later, Kevin suffered an ACL injury which weakened the team to such an extent that I knew immediately finishing in the top six was in doubt.
“I also wanted to bring the overall environment close to the elite levels I had experienced at the different clubs and federations that I had worked at previously.
“All players were extremely open to new ideas and I am very appreciative to them for the effort and time they gave to me and my staff.
“To experience the semi-final of the Scottish Cup within four months as a coach, and the outstanding performance, despite the game itself resulting in a difficult defeat, was another sign to me that with the right attacking profiles, along with the development of the younger players, we would be able to go toe to toe with the strongest clubs in the country the following season and seasons to come.
“Hibs is a club with great history and the supporters were always respectful and knowledgeable about what I was trying to achieve as I saw first-hand at the many supporters’ functions I attended.
“I want to pay a particular thank you to the away fans as they sung my name even in the difficult moments. They always backed the team as was shown by the way they applauded the team for their performance after a sore semi-final loss.
“I was clear on the foundations that I wanted to put in place at the club both on and off the pitch.
“I knew we would improve the team defensively with the profile of players we brought in and also the players already at the club adapted very quickly to a completely different defensive structure and principles.
“We drew a lot of games but I knew the direction I wanted to take the team. With the attacking profiles that I wanted to sign for the club, I am absolutely positive would have allowed the team to compete against the best teams in the league in the biggest stadiums.
“However, I left the club when I did and I hope that the club and the fans can go on to be as successful as possible in the future because there are many good people who support the club.
“One of the aspects of my job at Hibs that filled me with great joy was meeting with and bringing members of the former players association into the training ground to be around the place and be around the club in a meaningful way.
“I had the great privilege of spending time with the likes of Pat Stanton, Mickey Weir and Paul Kane who were incredibly passionate about the club and I loved when they would recount the tales from their biggest domestic matches and great European victories over clubs such as Napoli.
“I was aware from my playing career that Hibs was a special club but the legends of the club were able to further enlighten me into the moments of historical significance from their playing career and from the players and managers from yesteryear that they grew up watching.
“I miss the moments with the former players association members because we would have lunch together at the club every Friday after training. Speaking to the greats of the club and learning from them and their passion for football was an honour. I will cherish those memories.”
You left Hibs in April 2022. What have you been up to since your departure and what are your plans for the future?
“In the time I have had since leaving the club, I have learned a lot by spending a huge amount of time with my staff reviewing all aspects of our time at Hibernian.
“I have also just arrived back from a month travelling around Europe to study the methods and structures of FC Barcelona, FC Girona and AS Monaco, which was fascinating, and I am very appreciative of the access and support from these clubs.
“I definitely want to return to management and my next job will not be down to the size of the club or the size of the support or the country that they play in.
“It will all be down to the people that I work with. It is vital that our values and ideas are aligned so we can build a successful environment together.”