Simon Donnelly
Celts will be worrying about their futures
The race to become the next permanent manager of Celtic is well underway. And it’s wide open.
In the past couple of months, various names – such as Steve Clarke, Eddie Howe, Rafa Benitez, Martin O’neill, Enzo Maresca and Frank Lampard – have all been bookies’ favourites to replace Neil Lennon.
But at the moment, John Kennedy is in the driving seat.
He is the interim manager, and has a chance of winning the next two Premiership meetings with Rangers, and the Scottish Cup. The job is his to gain.
The bookies’ also see it that way, and he is the current favourite.
Like the Celtic supporters, Scott Brown and the rest of the Hoops squad are interested onlookers.
They will be watching every move and doing their own homework on each candidate.
Simon Donnelly has been in this scenario twice before at Parkhead, in the summers of 1997 and 1998.
So he knows exactly how it works, and the mindset of the dressing room.
Back then, when Fergus Mccann and Jock Brown were in charge of appointing a manager, they were linked with Terry Venables, Roy Hodgson, Sir Bobby Robson, Johan Cruyff, Artur Jorge, John Toshack and Egil Olsen.
In the end, Wim Jansen was appointed in 1997, and he resigned a year later after stopping Rangers from winning 10-in-a-row.
Some of the names mentioned 12 months earlier appeared again, but he was eventually replaced by Dr Jozef Venglos.
Donnelly told The Sunday Post: “The current situation does remind me of what was going on nearly 25 years ago, when I was playing for Celtic.
“Tommy Burns was asked to go by Fergus Mccann in 1997, and a new manager was coming in.
“There was a different name in the newspapers every day.
“That’s where we got our information from. There was no social media or 24-hour Sky Sports News back then.
“I would be interested in the different names, and also wondering if the latest candidate would rate me and want me as part of his squad.
“It is a worrying time for a footballer.
“In the end, we got Wim Jansen. And, to be honest, I’d never heard of him.
“But he came in and he got on with the job.
“We all know the fantastic impact he made that season, and that’s why he is a Celtic legend.
“When he left, we were back to a guessing game as to his replacement. I think we started pre-season in 1998 without a permanent manager, just as it was the previous summer.
“I’m sure that won’t be the case this time. Celtic will have someone in place by then.
“But until that happens, there will be speculation. There’s probably been 15-20 names linked with the job already.
“The uncertainty is never ideal and the current group of players will be wondering who the new manager is going to be. That’s only natural.
“They will be wondering what the future may hold for them if a certain candidate gets the job.
“I suspect this may go on for another few weeks, possibly even until the end of May.
“The Scottish Cup is back on, and that now gives John Kennedy and the players an extra focus.
“They will be desperate to retain the trophy. They will not want to end this campaign without silverware.
“To win the Scottish Cup five years-in-a-row would be something very special.
“Sure, it’s not the prize that everyone at Celtic really wanted. It was all about doing 10-in-a-row but that’s not going to happen.
“However, you can’t give up. There is still pride and a Cup at stake.”
Kennedy is a genuine contender for the job.
He is hugely respected by the current regime inside Parkhead. But the majority of the Celtc support would prefer someone other than Kennedy.
Of course, there is going to be change at all key levels and that means Kennedy will be starting from scratch.
But it remains to be seen if they will wait another two months before making an appointment.
It’s understood certain candidates have already been sounded out.
But there are jobs in the English Premier League expected to become available in the next few weeks, and that is an obstacle
Celtic can’t overcome just now.
The likes of Howe and Lampard won’t commit to Scottish football just now if there is a possibility of working in England’s top tier next season.
So, it could be a waiting game for Celtic. That may well be good news for Kennedy.
Donnelly assessed the situation, and said: “John is definitely in the mix, that’s for sure.
“He defeated Aberdeen last weekend and now he has Dundee United. Another victory will do his chances no harm.
“But it’s the two games against Rangers that could potentially make him or break him. “He needs to show he can get the better of Steven Gerrard.
“All in all, there are interesting times ahead. One way or another, there won’t be a dull moment during the next two months.”