YOU CAN’T LOSE

Lambert warns Howe pressure in Glasgow will be eye-opening

PAUL LAMBERT last night warned Eddie Howe he has to hit the ground running if he becomes Celtic manager.

The Parkhead club hope to secure the former Bournemouth boss as Neil Lennon’s successor next week.

Howe has held face-to-face talks with major shareholder Dermot Desmond in London.

And, as Sportsmail first revealed, he wants Cherries technical director Richard Hughes and scout Mark Burchill to join him in Glasgow.

Talks are likely to continue over the weekend after Bournemouth’s 3-1 home win over Middlesbrough yesterday.

Describing 43-year-old Howe as a ‘good fit’ for the role, former Celtic midfielder Lambert « nonetheless issued a warning to the Englishman

over the weight of expectation in Glasgow. ‘If you finish second, you are virtually last,’ Lambert told Sky Sports. ‘That’s the pressure of it. But if you win it (the title), you will be in for a great, great time. ‘I think Eddie’s pedigree gives him a chance. But the one thing he will have to get used to is the need to win every week. ‘Every Celtic manager — and I’ve not done the job but I played there for a number of years — faces that. ‘When you lose or draw, it feels like the end of the world. That’s what makes it a special club. ‘You won’t get given a year or two of grace. ‘Anyone who has managed or played there will tell you the same. ‘Eddie not being a fan won’t be a problem. As long as he wins games. ‘If Eddie does get the job, it’s a good fit. ‘But it’s very difficult to explain, to people who don’t know the size of the club, what it’s like. ‘It doesn’t matter if Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund come to Glasgow. ‘The Celtic fans expect you to win. And quite rightly so, because of the tradition it’s built on. ‘Whoever gets it right there, they will be in for a great, great time.’ Howe emerged as the first choice for the job after Celtic held talks with the likes of Roy Keane and the Manchester City Under-23 coach Enzo Maresca.