Shaun Maloney Celtic wage claim emerges as reported salary detail surfaces

A claim regarding Shaun Maloney’s Celtic salary has emerged, with Paul John Dykes suggesting the assistant manager is among the highest-paid coaches in Scottish football.

Speaking on ACSOM, Dykes claimed his understanding is that Maloney is the third-highest-paid figure in Scottish management, behind only Celtic boss Martin O’Neill and Rangers manager Derek McInnes.

The claim has not been independently verified, however, and Celtic do not make individual salaries for members of their coaching staff public.

Dykes was discussing the formation of O’Neill’s backroom team and the negotiations that led to Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus joining the setup.

He also highlighted the unusual timing of Celtic’s announcement regarding the coaching staff.

The club confirmed the appointments just 29 minutes before pre-season training was scheduled to begin, although that does not necessarily mean the contracts or negotiations were only finalised at that point.

Maloney reportedly among Scotland’s highest-paid coaches

Dykes then provided his understanding of Maloney’s financial position at Celtic.

“We understand that Shaun Maloney is the third highest paid in terms of management in Scottish football.”

He added that only O’Neill and McInnes are believed to earn more than Maloney in coaching or managerial roles.

“So he’s on a decent wage in his role.”

If accurate, the claim would place Maloney above a number of established managers and coaches across Scottish football despite his position as an assistant at Celtic.

However, there is currently no publicly available information from Celtic confirming Maloney’s salary, meaning the reported ranking should be treated as an unverified claim rather than an established fact.

Questions remain over Maloney’s Celtic contract

Dykes also admitted there was uncertainty over the exact length of Maloney’s current agreement with the club.

He questioned whether the assistant manager had initially signed a one-year deal or whether Celtic had longer-term plans for him within O’Neill’s coaching structure.

Maloney has nevertheless become an important member of the manager’s backroom staff since the new coaching team was assembled.

His previous experience in management and coaching has made him a notable figure within the Parkhead setup, but the precise financial terms of his Celtic contract remain private.

Celtic’s unusual coaching announcement

The timing of the backroom announcement remains one of the more interesting aspects of the changes made by O’Neill.

Celtic confirmed the appointments of Maloney, Fotheringham and McManus only shortly before the squad was due to report for pre-season training.

Dykes put the gap at just 29 minutes.

That does not necessarily mean Celtic had only reached agreements with the coaches moments before training began, but it does underline how late the club publicly confirmed the makeup of O’Neill’s staff.

For now, the salary claim provides an insight into what Maloney is reportedly earning at Celtic, but without official figures it remains impossible to establish his exact position among Scotland’s highest-paid coaching figures.

What is clear is that Maloney has been entrusted with a significant role within O’Neill’s staff, while the details of his contract and remuneration remain undisclosed by the club.