ROY KEANE could be Celtic’s equivalent of Graeme Souness if he was allowed to kick some backsides in the Parkhead dressing room.

Pat Bonner knows all about Keane as a player, they were team-mates with the Republic of Ireland, and then when the Celtic goalkeeping legend became a coach with the national side the two found themselves together in Saipan ahead of the 2002 World Cup.

And we all remember what happened then.

Bonner was, of course, a Celtic player when Souness, all boldness, brashness and bravado, stormed into Ibrox 30 years ago and changed everything.

Big Packie sees a lot of similarities between the two men.

He believes Keane could do what Souness did if given a chance at Kerrydale Street, and that it would be good fun to watch.

Bonner said: “Roy is a thorough professional, he demands that of himself. He changed his lifestyle and seen the better way. That was the way that took him to the very top.

“I knew him as a player. He was quiet and not shouting at people and telling them what to do. He stood there, he sat there, and he got himself focused.
”What he did on the pitch was that he influenced people and when he had to say something, he said it and he didn’t hold back. 

“Some of the vibes from this (Celtic) dressing room is that they need someone who is strong, who will rattle up the dressing room but he needs to take the players with him.

“You can’t just go in there with that autocratic way, it works for a period but then you have to change it. 

“I think Souness was that kind of guy at Rangers and then they needed a Walter Smith, arm around them type.

“If Roy comes in, he’ll give you that first bit but it depends how he adapts after that when he gets his own players in.

“He’ll motivate the young guys but then older guys will be asking questions and wondering if they’ll be part of it. You do need structure.”

Bonner watched a lot of Ronny Deila’s Celtic and while he admired much of what the Norwegian was trying to do, he also witnessed too many defensive mistakes which the next man cannot afford.

Bonner said: “When I look back at Ronny’s time here, he wanted to play a certain style, tempo, passing, closing down. 

“All good attributes but you have to look at the failings and those failings were in European competition when he didn’t defend well and he didn’t set up well.
“I was critical and had every right to be. It was a team that was almost wide open to be hit on the counter attack. 

“Brendan Rodgers has a way of playing but you need really good players to do that.”

Rodgers, who at the moment seems to be the first choice, certainly of the supporters, is someone Bonner knows and if the club do go for the former Liverpool boss, then this Celtic favourite would have no problem with that.

Although he would need someone alongside him who would tell the Northern Irishman what makes this country tick.

Bonner said: “I was at Reading with Tommy Burns and Brendan was running the academy. He was actually running my son Andrew’s team. He moved up very quickly.

“He always loved playing the game the way Tommy did and he quotes Tommy as having an influence on him. I want to see if has learned from his experience at Liverpool and if he can come up here and fit into the Scottish game.

“If there is someone who doesn’t know the Scottish game they need a good assistant with them, that’s critical.”

WHAT Bonner does want to see is a manager coming in who has worked at big clubs before, unlike Deila, so that the size of Celtic is not something that will stop the new boss in his tracks.

He said: “I think Celtic need someone with vast experience. 

“They’ve tried Ronny, someone who didn’t have experience of Scottish football.

“There is no question that he was driven, had honesty about him and he was a nice guy. 

“Celtic need someone to come who is driven but also with experience.

“When I was around managers it was people like Jack Charlton and Billy McNeill who influenced me. When I was sitting in a dressing room and either of these guys came in I thought ‘they’ve got something’.”

No matter who does get the job, Bonner says they must be backed by the board in the transfer market.

Bonner said: “It could be that Rodgers coming to Celtic is fated, but if he is coming here the conditions have to be right. 

“He can’t just come here because he is out of a job.

“He has to come here and make a big statement and that means money, bringing in his own players and playing the way he wants to play.

“It’s the same with David Moyes He’s not going to come up here just for the sake of getting the job. He would come to make an impact and that goes for all the managers.”