It has been three arduous months since Neil Lennon left Celtic behind but they may finally have a resolution to their woes.
That’s because the Hoops are on the verge of appointing Eddie Howe as their new manager at Parkhead.
What’s the word?
Celtic have had to wait patiently for Howe with advanced discussions thought to be occurring towards the beginning of April.
Though, despite a move now being on the verge of completion, the hierarchy would be foolish if they didn’t still have a few other options up their sleeve.
The Bhoys have already interviewed Lucien Favre and Roy Keane for the role but they also have an interest in former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
That news was revealed by Ian McGarry on the Transfer Window podcast this week.
He said: “I don’t believe that Lampard is necessarily rushing to get into another manager’s job. He is enjoying his time with his young family. That’s not to say that he’s not open to an interesting offer.”
McGarry added: “There is certainly interest from Celtic, but I don’t think that he is in a position where he will necessarily go into a project that he doesn’t think he has a good chance of progress or succeeding in.”
Better suited than Howe?
Lampard and Howe have two very different managerial backgrounds.
The latter led Bournemouth from the brink of relegation in League Two to a place in the Premier League but Lampard’s had things a little easier.
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He impressed during his stint with Derby in the Championship, developing the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount, two players he then coached when in charge of Chelsea.
The 42-year-old also led the Blues to Champions League football despite the club working under a transfer embargo throughout the 2019/20 campaign.
The former midfielder was eventually sacked from his position but the qualities he demonstrated when at Stamford Bridge means he could be more suited to the position in Glasgow.
Speaking about Lampard last season, ex-Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers claimed he was “really impressed” with what he’d achieved.
"Frank understands the policy at the club, how it works and will be looking to bring in some of the young players which he has done. He has given them an opportunity. You have to admire that,” he said.
It’s the effort he made with the younger players in west London that demonstrates why he could be a perfect fit at Celtic.
The former England international took players like Mount and Tammy Abraham under his wing, not only making them key players for Chelsea, but also helping them to earn recognition in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.
Celtic are at a point now where they need to look towards the future. They require a manager who can blood young talent, something Lampard is particularly adept at doing.
The Hoops have a number of promising players coming through with Adam Montgomery making his first-team debut a fortnight ago and Karamoko Dembele bagging his first senior goal.
What those young individuals need is someone like Lampard who can use all of his experience in the game to not only make them better players, but to help them become key at Paradise.