If you thought Celtic’s hunt for a new manager would be a quick affair then you can think again.
It has now been eight weeks since Neil Lennon left his role as manager of the Hoops but Dermot Desmond’s desire to wrap things up swiftly is a far-fetched dream right now.
What’s the word?
This has been a key week in the search for a new boss. Roy Keane is now back in the frame while Jose Mourinho’s hat has been thrown into the ring as well.
However, Eddie Howe still appears to be the favourite for the job.
That said, if the Bhoys do want him to arrive at Parkhead, they will have to wait until at least the end of May to find out whether a deal is possible.
According to The Sun, Bournemouth’s promotion hopes could deal a huge blow to Celtic because Howe wants a number of their backroom staff to join him at Paradise.
Their technical director Richard Hughes has been earmarked for a role in Glasgow while coaches Stephen Weatherstone and Stephen Purches will pick up rises if the Cherries get promoted back to the Premier League.
That means it will become more expensive in order to prise them away if Howe still wants them to join him.
Howe and Celtic will now have to wait until the play-off final on May 29th to discover their fate which wouldn’t be ideal considering the squad are due back for pre-season on June 21st.
Desmond will be livid
This news will likely come as the biggest blow to Dermot Desmond’s plans yet.
He already knew that Howe wants to wait until the summer to confirm his next move but with finances now coming into the equation too, it only makes the situation messier.
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This has been a tiring affair already and if the Bhoys have to wait over a month to find their new boss, it will leave them in the lurch ahead of the new campaign.
There is so much to do at Celtic this summer that cannot be carried out sufficiently without a first-team coach in place.
The likes of Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard have both been linked with the exit door while Diego Laxalt, Shane Duffy, Jonjoe Kenny and Moi Elyounoussi will all be heading back to their parent clubs.
Scott Brown is also due to leave as he exits in order to fulfil a player-coach role with Aberdeen.
With so much change brewing in the senior side, they need a manager in place to guide them through the murky waters.
At the moment, Celtic are merely prolonging their agony and sealing their fate of a troublesome summer by not looking elsewhere.
They cannot afford to wait for Howe this long.