Celtic’s pursuit of a new manager has been the saga which just keeps on going for the Bhoys.
The Hoops still have a temporary coach in charge in John Kennedy and it feels as though Dermot Desmond will have to wait a few more weeks before getting his man.
What’s the word?
Eddie Howe has been front and centre of discussion over the last few weeks. The 43-year-old was in advanced talks with Celtic but, as far as an interview process goes, things have been quiet.
Howe is thought to have met with Desmond but a number of complications have stalled things. The former Bournemouth boss doesn’t want to return to management until the summer while both Crystal Palace and Brighton are monitoring his situation.
There is also a problem with Celtic’s director of football position. Howe wants Richard Hughes but the Hoops want Fergal Harkin.
Speaking about the current situation on the latest Record Celtic podcast, Michael Gannon had the following to say to Chris Sutton: “It’s more legalities and the finer points of contract details. I think that Eddie Howe will be at Celtic in the summer. I suspect that he might still be on the wage bill at Bournemouth and why pay £400,000 to get him out early when the season is done? He could be working away in the background.”
Gannon continued: “There is also Richard Hughes, that angle as well. Richard Hughes was a Premier League technical director on a good wedge as well. Would he get that at Parkhead? There’s wee things in the background going on like this that cost a lot of money but maybe in the longer term will get ironed out.
“The noises coming out of Celtic are positive this is close or they are optimistic. All these sort of warm, fuzzy phrases,” he concluded.
Encouraging signs
After all of the negative setbacks Celtic have been dealt in the last week or so, this is incredibly exciting news. The Hoops did identify an alternative in the form of Lucien Favre but that they’re refusing to panic is a good thing.
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After all, this is a season where the Celtic hierarchy have come under intense scrutiny. The Green Brigade protested outside Parkhead a number of months ago against the leadership of Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell.
This poor season will have seen both men lose their jobs once it comes to a close but being calm and collected in this scenario is a good thing; they have to get things spot on.
Dermot Desmond has faced his own critics this term but he isn’t willing to sit back and take the easy way out.
Roy Keane would have been a simple appointment considering a lack of suitors from elsewhere but Howe is their top target, and they will stop at nothing in order to try and bring him to Glasgow.
You can understand why they want him, too. The former Premier League manager is a progressive coach, he is meticulous on the training ground and he has a decent CV; not many can say they’ve taken a team from the fourth tier to the top table of English football.
With Gannon claiming that Howe is still ‘close’ to Celtic, this should come as music to the ears of Hoops supporters.