With the end of the season very quickly approaching, Celtic supporters will be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. Neil Lennon is finally gone and, with that, they’ll be able to reset ahead of a new campaign.
They are on the verge of losing the Premiership crown to their biggest rivals and thus, a significant change could be on the cards.
Lennon and Peter Lawwell will have departed but their club captain, Scott Brown, may also be heading through the exit door.
The 35-year-old is an icon at Parkhead but his contract is expiring in the summer. We’re yet to receive word about whether he could renew his terms but it’s looking increasingly unlikely.
It could well come down to whoever the new manager is. One man who reportedly wants the job is former Huddersfield boss David Wagner.
Given the style of football the 49-year-old plays, it wouldn’t exactly be ideal for the current skipper. That’s because not only does the ex-Schalke manager like free-flowing offensive football, but he also likes his team to press relentlessly.
Brown has recently enjoyed a mini-revival in the Celtic side. He was superb in the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock last month, scoring and assisting. He also rolled back the years with a commanding display in another 4-0 victory over St Mirren.
Yet, it’s clear that Brown’s overall qualities have diminished somewhat. He has looked sluggish for the most part this season and has been guilty of a number of errors. As the Hoops were battered and bruised in Prague last autumn, the Scot was arguably one of their main culprits.
He was given the runaround in midfield and then reacted far too slowly for the opening goal, failing to clear his lines from a corner. His red card after being on the pitch for just five minutes against Livingston was also a low point.
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Judging by his age and indeed some of his performances this term, he would surely struggle under Wagner’s style of play. The German likes his teams to play at breakneck speed, hassling and pressing opponents relentlessly.
It's a style he has used to his advantage on British shores before, achieving a "phenomenal thing" according to Don Goodman on Sky Sports' match coverage of Huddersfield a few years ago. Indeed, he managed to get the Yorkshire side promoted from the Championship to the Premier League.
He is bred from the Ralf Rangnick school of football, basing his philosophy on the modern-day press. That requires players to hunt in packs to win the ball back within a matter of seconds of losing it.
For Brown, a man now in his mid-30s, this wouldn’t be perfect. The veteran has already lost a yard of pace and to expect him to play at full throttle each week would be near impossible.
With that in mind, hiring Wagner could finally give the Bhoys the armoury to wave farewell to his playing days.