I was definitely feeling like that bemused Chilean miner when I came up for air last night.
Two messages were waiting for me, and both from excellent sources.
Source A is very close to the Dermot Desmond operation. My guy stated that when Don Dermot sat down with Eddie Howe, he already had a preferred candidate in mind.
However, the ex-Bournemouth man was so impressive in the interview that Desmond was swayed, which isn’t something that often happens.
Source A also said that Howe had sought assurances that he would be backed both in terms of his football budget, full autonomy on player recruitment AND on his coaching staff.
Consequently, my fella was quite sanguine the Eddie Howe WOULD be the next Celtic manager.
Fair enough, then.
However, Source B, someone who has regular professional dealings with the current Celtic board, sent me this text message late last night about the Eddie Howe situation.
“Can’t be coming. Heard today that he wants to bring the kitchen sink with him – up to 5 backroom staff – and Celtic have dug their heels in and said no.”
For the avoidance of doubt, both men are solid individuals with an excellent track record of first-rate information.
I’ve known the pair of them for over a decade.
However, it is impossible that both of them are correct about this situation.
I really hate when this happens.
However, your humble correspondent is merely a conduit.
Now, my very understanding publisher IS serious about the deadline, so it is back to the word mines for me.
Please stay safe.
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Give it to Roy.
Do you stick or twist,that’s the problem that Desmond has.Celtic have their manager,but Desmonds problem is how to tell the fans,and still sell his season tickets.EH does not command the power to get his DOF that he wants,and let’s be clear he is still unknown.Do we really want a manager who is looking at CP or Newcastle,as opposed to Celtic.Desmond is looking at his stack of chips,and my guess is he will stick.
Seems the typical Celtic Way: biscuit tin board blocking progress. We’ve seen it with Martin O’Neil (“rolling contracts, anyone?”), Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes (said to have been turned away last minute after he wanted his own people), now Eddie Howe.
Please do not let Kennedy take the reigns by default.
What’s the betting if we prevail against The The Rangers John Kennedy gets the job—–and if he could get them playing on a regular basis in the manner in which they ran over Livi, who would mind?
Why can’t both be right? Desmod says yes but when it’s clear how many he wants to bring, then he says hold on that’s too many, and has a rethink. May still happen if either side compromises.
Tell Eddie Howe thanks but no thanks clearly job to big for him
Could you ask your source who claims Desmond had previously preferred Keane until he spoke to an actual football manager, whether it was a light bulb moment for him.
In recent years he’s sat and spoken to Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon, Roy Keane and Eddie Howe.
Two of those are modern day coaches, two are football managing dinosaurs, one in particular doesn’t possess a single trait, a single characteristic a football manager should have, he is merely a former world class professional footballer.
Surely Desmond can’t still see Keane as a potential manager – that prospect genuinely causes me so much stress I was losing sleep a month ago when it looked like Desmond was just going to give it to him without interviewing anyone else, again
I think it’s only natural that you want your own staff around you What’s strange about that? It’s about time Kennedy & Co left Ihope Howe is Celtic next Manager Different clas from Keane.