Pat Nevin believes David Moyes was born to manage Celtic but insists timing has always stopped the move from happening.
The former winger, who grew up alongside Moyes in the youth ranks at Parkhead, offered a detailed reflection on why the experienced manager has never quite landed the job many feel fits him more naturally than any other.
Moyes has been linked with Celtic at several points over the last decade, especially during moments of managerial transition. His stature, organisational ability and history with the club have kept his name in the frame long after carving out a long career in England. Nevin’s comments underline how strong that connection is behind the scenes, even if the move has never materialised.
For Nevin, two jobs have always appeared tailor-made for Moyes: the Scotland national team and Celtic. Yet he believes both roles have come alive at moments when Moyes was either committed elsewhere or when Celtic were already secure with a successful manager.
With Celtic on the hunt again and Scotland’s managerial picture uncertain beyond next summer, the conversation around Moyes has resurfaced. But Nevin’s assessment suggests the timing remains against him, particularly as the 62-year-old is relishing his current position at Everton.
He said: (Liverpool Echo), “It’s purely about timing. There are two jobs that David Moyes was made for. I think Scotland was the second one, number two in the list, but the number one was Celtic.
“He and I came through Celtic together as kids, so we knew each other since I was 13 or 14.
“He’s had ‘manager’ written across his forehead for his entire life. When he was 15, you could actually see it because he was captain, obviously, but coming through he was just that type.
“He just looked like somebody who should have been Celtic manager, but the timing has never been quite right.
“There were times when he would have taken it, I’m sure, absolutely, but Celtic had a manager in place who was doing well.
“And then the times when he wasn’t available to do it himself, he would have taken it in a millisecond.
“It’s just constant. There is a possibility at the end of the season [Scotland manager] Stevie Clarke will leave. He might end up at Celtic, you never know.
“If the timing’s right, people will look at Moyes. But I don’t think the timing will be right there again because Moyes is absolutely loving what he’s doing at Everton right now.”
Nevin’s comments touch on a truth that has followed Celtic for years: Moyes is always discussed but has never been appointed. The reasoning he gives is less about the club’s decisions and more about circumstance. When Celtic needed change, Moyes was deep in the Premier League cycle. When he hit a natural break in employment, Celtic were thriving under managers like Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan, Brendan Rodgers or Ange Postecoglou.
The idea that Moyes would have “taken it in a millisecond” is telling. It reflects that the manager himself has felt the pull of the club he grew up in, even while building a huge career elsewhere. Celtic will always be part of his story, and there remains a belief among those who played with him that he would bring authority, structure and a strong identity to the club.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Everton v Fulham – Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain – November 8, 2025 Everton manager David Moyes celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Nevin’s reminder that Moyes is “loving what he’s doing at Everton” is another important factor. The Premier League club’s decision to bring him back has restored familiarity and comfort to his working environment. That stability, at this stage of his career, is hard to leave behind even for a romantic return to Glasgow.
With Celtic expected to appoint Wilfried Nancy, Moyes appears unlikely to enter the frame this time. But the fact Nevin still speaks about him in Celtic terms shows how deeply the connection runs. For many around the game, even now, the idea of Moyes in the Parkhead dugout feels like a natural fit, just not one football’s timing has ever allowed.
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