As Celtic fans continually scan the media hoping for an announcement of the new manager, memories of the Eddie Howe saga resurface alongside a reducing list of candidates. Everything currently points to Brendan Rodgers being the next boss. But until that’s announced by the club there will be nerves for the supporters to deal with. Even for those unsure about the idea of the Northern Irishman’s return.
The situation gets even tenser as the discussions now seem to be about trying to finalise a backroom team to support Rodgers. Will John Kennedy remain at Celtic? Is Chris Davies moving to Tottenham Hotspur a sign of anything for the Hoops?
The whole scenario brings back memories of the long drawn out period when Howe was expected to be announced as the Celtic manager a couple of summers back. One of the reasons behind him ultimately not joining the club were issues over getting his preferred backroom team in place.
Surely the same couldn’t apply to Rodgers. But fans will naturally be nervous about whether a potential deal could fall apart at the last minute.
Celtic fans fear Howe repeat amid Rodgers delay
If that happened, then as was the case with Howe saga, the board would have to move on quickly and review other candidates. That worked out quite well at the time with Ange Postecoglou coming on board and bringing success back to the club.
Unfortunately, Celtic’s back up options seem to be dwindling as well. Enzo Maresca has already been appointed as Leicester City manager, as confirmed by the club’s official website. On the other hand, Kieran McKenna has signed a new long-term contract with Ipswich Town, committing his future to them.
Maresca has been a popular choice for Celtic fans over recent weeks, but perhaps he wasn’t prepared to wait any longer and has joined Leicester City. The Italian has the credentials to be a top manager, he just needs more experience.
Hopefully, all of these are signs that we may all yet get the announcement we are expecting. If not then the candidate list is dwindling for the Celtic board to choose from.