Premiership giants Celtic are not only one of the biggest teams in the UK, but they are also one of the most renowned and recognisable clubs in the whole world. With a reputation like that, comes massive expectations from the fans as well. The current season was supposed to be a historic one for Celtic, as they entered the campaign looking to achieve their tenth consecutive league title. Although the initial signs were positive, the blip that Neil Lennon’s men have suffered over recent weeks has put them in a highly sticky spot. The fans’ unhappiness with the manager and his tactics have been well-established, but all of that seemed to reach a tipping point recently.
According to a recent report by the Scottish Sun, Celtic fans in the thousands gathered outside Parkhead on Sunday, to protest against the manager on the back of their embarrassing 2-0 home defeat to Ross County in the Betfred Cup. The loss meant that Lennon’s side were eliminated in the last-16 stage, in a competition that they have won for the last four years running. The angry crowd were clearly demanding for the manager to be sacked, and the protests reached such an extent that riot police and security had to be called in to handle the situation. As things stand, it doesn’t look like Neil Lennon will be at the helm at Parkhead for too long to come.
Here Are Three Managers Who Could Replace Neil Lennon At Celtic:
Three Managers Who Could Replace Neil Lennon At Celtic
Eddie Howe
The former Bournemouth manager is undoubtedly going to be one of the frontrunners for the Celtic job, as he is currently unattached to any club. Having spent the last many years as the manager of the Cherries, there’s no need to even question the quality and tactical knowledge that he would bring to the table. Having parted ways with the Championship club on the back of their relegation to the competition from the Premier League, Howe prefers to utilise a classic 4-4-2 formation, while he sets up his teams with an attacking mindset as well.
Marco Silva
The Portuguese gaffer’s last managerial position was in charge of Everton, and it didn’t come as too much of a surprise that he was let go by the Toffees. Despite showing great signs when he first joined the club, that turned out to be nothing more than a honeymoon period. A host of bad results and complaints of unattractive football meant that midway through the 19/20 league campaign, the Merseyside club decided to go down a different route. The 43-year-old is known to prefer utilising the 4-2-3-1 formation. Given that that’s how Celtic play right now, he could in fact be well-suited to the role.
John Kennedy
Neil Lennon’s time at the club seems like it’s drawing to a close, and until they’re able to decide on a potential successful, the role of interim manager will surely be handed to current assistant John Kennedy. Although this might well be a short-term option, as things stand, it wouldn’t be overly surprising if all the players need to get back to their best is a simple change of leader. If Kennedy is able to instantly produce different results upon taking over, given what’s on the line for Celtic this season, handing him the permanent role wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Who Would Be The Best Fit At Parkhead?
As much as John Kennedy knows about the club and how it’s run, it would be silly for the Hoops to not pounce at the chance to sign Eddie Howe. The former Cherries man has the experience as well as quality required to rekindle this Celtic team, and the sheer fact that he kept a mediocre Bournemouth squad in the Premier League for as long as he did is a sign of what he can bring to the table. The 4-4-2 formation might take some getting used to by the players, but this probably isn’t the best time to be choosy either. Howe’s resumé is one that will be attractive, and if they’re able to lure him to Parkhead in the coming weeks, it would have to be considered quite the coup.
