Former England striker Darren Bent says Sean Dyche would fancy the Celtic job.
Yes, folks: get ready for Celtic to be linked with every football manager under the sun until the summer arrives. Bent, who played for Sunderland, Aston Villa and Tottenham, has claimed Dyche would be excited by an opportunity in Glasgow.
Bent, who made 12 England appearances [Transfermarkt], was asked for his take on TalkSport. The station is not traditionally a home for sensible Scottish football opinions. Once again, we are seeing that in action, with a link that makes little to no sense.
In fairness to Bent, his logic isn’t entirely flawed. The ex-Premier League striker said:
“I think he’s taken Burnley as far as he can go with hardly any investment.
“Surely [Celtic] is one he’ll look at and it’ll excite him a little bit. If you look around the Premier League, if he left tomorrow, where is he going to go?
“There’s nowhere really for him to go, is there? Southampton I guess if (Ralph) Hasenhuttl goes but other than that…
“Celtic, a massive, massive football club, why not?”
Sean Dyche: “why not” the next Celtic manager? Plenty of reasons
It’s hard to imagine anyone less suited to the Celtic manager’s job. Well, anyone that hasn’t played or coached Rangers, at least.
Dyche, the longest-tenured manager in England’s top-flight, plays a style of football that can kindly be described as agricultural. Big target men up front, long balls aplenty, all the rest of it. Dyche utilises a 4-4-2, and his approach is “old fashioned” to say the very least.
That isn’t necessarily a criticism; clearly it’s a style that has suited Burnley. Currently 15th in the Premier League, they’re more than likely to survive in the top-flight for another season, barring any late collapse. That’s Burnley, though. The expectations at Celtic are incredibly different.
Dyche has never been at a trophy-chasing club of Celtic’s stature. With limited resources (by Premier League standards), the gravelly-voiced manager is known for sticking to British players. The Burnley boss tends towards using experienced heads and rarely gives opportunities to youth players. He’s a survivalist, the Ray Mears of management. That’s his role.
Chasing silverware for supporters who demand free-flowing, attacking football has never been Dyche’s remit. The Burnley manager has tactical acumen, and he’s shrewd with a transfer budget; two qualities, no doubt. However, Celtic boss? Absolutely no chance.
READ MORE: China, India, Aberdeen or nowhere – what next for Neil Lennon?
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