If there was one word to summarise the last 12 months for Celtic, it would be drama.
Parkhead has witnessed some remarkable events since May 2020, from basking in a ninth league title in a row to enduring hapless protests against the Bhoys ownership.
Then, just when you thought their devastatingly bad season was coming to an end, Eddie Howe kicked the Hoops where it hurts.
For so long it looked as though the 43-year-old was going to be announced as the new Celtic manager. However, due to complications involving his preferred backroom staff, a move for him collapsed on Friday.
The Glaswegian side have moved on quickly, though. They are already in advanced talks with Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, who wants to join the Hoops, and Celtic could announce him at some point next week.
It’s thought that the hierarchy have been tracking Postecoglou for a number of months, but we think they should be focusing on someone else now.
Their failure to get Howe through the door has opened up a wonderful avenue to bring Paulo Fonseca to the club. They've already seen Celtic-linked Enzo Maresca head to Parma and they cannot afford to miss out on a third managerial target.
Fonseca is leaving Roma this summer and has reportedly been offered to Dermot Desmond and co.
What they’ve done with that information is unknown but they’d be foolish to pass on the opportunity. After all, the self-professed “brave” manager plays a brand of football for which Celtic should be pining.
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His Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk teams were known for playing at breakneck speed, moving the ball around with short passing in an incisive manner.
Considering how much possession Celtic often enjoy, finding a manager who knows how to utilise it in the desired way will be key.
The Bhoys averaged one of the highest possession rates in the whole of Europe this term, amassing 61.9% of the ball. Those are incredibly high numbers but it provides evidence for why Desmond needs to hire a man comfortable at passing the ball around.
Postecoglou’s Yokohama F Marinos average 64.7% of the ball this season but, crucially, Fonseca has the experience of managing in Europe to a successful level. The 48-year-old took Roma to the Europa League semi-finals this year, thriving in an area where Celtic have been off the pace for a while.
They were the dominant force domestically for so long but have struggled to go beyond the group stages of the Champions League or the last 32 of the Europa League.
Therefore, Fonseca could revive their fortunes in this area. At the same time, he would likely introduce more attractive football and a never-say-die attitude, and Desmond should relish the thought of him taking over at Paradise.