Scottish Premier League - Who next for Celtic?

Eurosport - Tue, 26 May 16:04:00 2009

Celtic have been forced to launch a hurried search for a new manager after Gordon Strachan quit the Scottish Premier League club.

FOOTBALL 2006-2007 Scottish Premier League Celtic Parkhead - 0

Strachan resigned on Monday just a day after a disappointing campaign ended with Celtic surrendering the title to bitter rivals Rangers for the first time in four years - made worse by the fact Celtic at one point had a seven point advantage over their bitter rivals.

The Celtic board now need to act quickly to appoint a new boss because the new season will begin in late July with a Champions League qualifier.

A number of managers have already been linked with the job as Celtic chairman John Reid and chief executive Peter Lawwell prepare to draw up a shortlist of candidates.

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray, a former Celtic player, is among the early favourites despite Albion's relegation from the Premier League after impressing fans at the Hawthorns and former club Hibernian with his brand of football.

Owen Coyle's stock has risen considerably following his two-year spell at Burnley, who he led into the Premier League via the Championship play-offs just hours after Strachan quit.

Motherwell boss Mark McGhee has long been touted as a candidate to manage Celtic, while Dundee United manager Craig Levein is also highly regarded.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy and Everton boss David Moyes are also both former Celtic players who have done impressive jobs in England, although both are unlikely to leave the Premier League.

Reid knows he has to make a move as soon as possible and vowed to find a manager who will reclaim the title from Rangers.

"We will now aim to appoint our new football manager as soon as possible," Reid said.

"Our aim is to regain the championship which we have dominated in recent years and restore our pre-eminent place in Scottish football.

"This is nothing less than our supporters deserve and I would like to thank our supporters and our players for the commitment they have shown during the course of the season."

Strachan was never fondly thought of by a large section of the club's support who were unhappy with the quality of the team's players and his lack of Celtic background.

But his successor will find it hard to emulate Strachan's achievements in the east end of Glasgow.

He was the first Celtic manager to claim a hat-trick of titles since Jock Stein, despite having less money to spend than acclaimed predecessor Martin O'Neill and also reached the last 16 of the Champions League twice.

The new manager's transfer budget has been hit by the lack of guaranteed Champions League football as Celtic must negotiate two qualifying rounds to reach the lucrative group stage.

Strachan insisted it was an honour to have managed Celtic but his thoughts may already be turning to a fresh challenge in England, with reports linking him with the vacant manager's position at Sunderland.

He said: "I have enjoyed my time immensely at Celtic and clearly I will be sad to leave this great club.

"As I have said before, Celtic is a special club, with special supporters.

"There is no club like it and it has been an absolute honour and privilege to be the club's manager for the past four years.

"We have done all we can to bring success to the club and we were delighted to deliver three SPL titles, other domestic silverware, as well as making some great progress in Europe.

"It is just disappointing that we did not manage the fourth championship.

"However, the players can hold their heads high in terms of what they have done for the club in recent years.

"I thank all the players I have worked with at the club and, of course, my backroom team for the backing and assistance which they have given me."

AFP

Comment 436 - 455 of 515

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  1. Rangers and Celtic­, reach the UEFA cup final and what­ did they do in europe this season, no riots this year?

    From , on Tue 26 May 11:13PM

  2. Gary S take that back sorry, i mean sorry is the state­ of scottish football its a donkey race, entertainment­ for small minds

    From , on Tue 26 May 11:10PM

  3. aclarkeedi! Tony Mowbray , world class loser

    From , on Tue 26 May 11:04PM

  4. Gary S, uefa cup 1st placed losers at best
    is the uefa­ cup the best the scottish team can get, was not­ middlesbrough of a uefa cup final too before world­ class!

    now get your @#$% to iron my tartan trousers

    From , on Tue 26 May 11:00PM

  5. I doesnt really matter you will still be playing in the­ second rate SPL, a monkey with a bit of knowledge about­ the offside rule could manage Celtic and win the league­ then get dumped out of the ECL like you do every year­ even Spurs and Fulham are better than any sweat sock­ jock team.

    From Don, on Tue 26 May 10:48PM

  6. tony mowbray next manager and get OUR trophy back were­ it belongs in style

    From aclarkeedi, on Tue 26 May 10:38PM

  7. Pt 470, you've hit the nail on the head mate. Even­ though I support Rangers, I'll fully admit that we­ were @#$% this year as well. We lacked heart and in­ more than a few matches. But that's the way it is­ in Scotland, if we only get up to play the other Old­ Firm team and don't expect much challenge from Hibs­ or Aberdeen. It's no wonder you lot were thumped by­ St Mirren and we were thumped by ICT.

    It was ours to­ lose this year as well as last. I'm just happy we­ finished it out.

    From cityofmillions, on Tue 26 May 9:52PM

  8. Reid and Lawwel must stay,hello! hello!no wages no­ trophies but your doing just fine and the SEPTIC PARK­ Cmon the Gers...Two in a row hello hellllo!

    From LUCY F, on Tue 26 May 9:38PM

  9. Rupert go and iron your tartan trousers will you, what­ alot of rubbish your talking m8, did Rangers and Celtic­ not reach the UEFA cup final in recent years?

    From Gary S, on Tue 26 May 9:08PM

  10. Paul G if its a one horse race fine but at least man­ united get somewhere in europe and so do the rest of­ the top up 4
    the scottish league is a boring 100 year­ two horse race celtic v rangers is overhyped because it­ is the only real game in the league.
    a lot of the fans­ to me are not interested in football just a vent for­ religious hate

    From , on Tue 26 May 9:00PM

  11. plz not mcghee he is absoulute @#$%

    From johnmcdougall08, on Tue 26 May 8:39PM

  12. point 454, are you wise? £8million for Boruc? get a­ grip, who will pay that for a fat drunk? he is pi.sh

    From Gary S, on Tue 26 May 8:19PM

  13. Point 471, irish yet again. The very people who celtic­ fans want to be hmmmm

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Tue 26 May 8:11PM

  14. hi everyone it was good going into work today :D

    From Captain Pugwash, on Tue 26 May 7:44PM

  15. 15 loyal and true rangers fans arrested for the murder­ of one man and the attempted murder of another while­ celerbrating there teams first league vistory in four­ years .Safety in numbers .Flashbacks of­ manchester.Loved the world over (not)

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Tue 26 May 7:27PM

  16. I'm sick of all this sectarian @#$%. Lets face it­ we had the chance to win the league when we were 7­ points clear but we blew it, we then had the chance­ again when rangers could only draw at Easter Road but­ we blew it yet AGAIN!!! I should've been more­ depressed on Sunday than what I actually was, to be­ honest I was just glad the season was over and we ended­ the season the way we had played all season, no­ imagination, no heart and no fight. As much as I liked­ the WGS I have to admit it was time for him to go, the­ rot started in the 2007/2008 season and it was just­ getting progressively worse. At the end of the day­ rangers were the best of a bad lot, if they are honest­ (the fair-minded amongst them) they would admit that­ they are not really any better than us. I will be­ really upset if Celts don't manage to appoint a­ quality manager and, in my opinion, that does not­ include Coyle, Mowbray, McGhee or Levein. The Celtic­ board will need to be careful with their appointment as­ we need to improve drastically, I reckon at least 14­ players in the 1st team squad I would get rid off.

    From scottish&proud of it, on Tue 26 May 6:51PM

  17. Must be harder being the Man utd manager. One horse­ race with no challenge EVERY YEAR. Boring

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Tue 26 May 6:36PM

  18. What a job being Celtic manager, its a two horse race­ every season and if you come second you are a failure.

    From Ross H, on Tue 26 May 6:30PM

  19. Rangers didnt improve much from last season. I liked­ last season better for the football played. THis year­ justice was done as last year was a total farce from­ the sfa.

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Tue 26 May 6:22PM

  20. Rangers fans need to believe celtic will get worse as­ they know their own situation won't be great come­ next season when they have to get rid of their main men­ to pay debts. They may be competing in the champions­ league but there will be a lot of heavy defeats to­ suffer as a result.

    From t10guitars, on Tue 26 May 6:19PM
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