Nothing concrete yet, but Eddie Howe speculation shows who Celtic fans are after

By Euan Davidson

March 27, 2021

If you were on Twitter last night, you’ll have seen countless Celtic fans speculating as to the whereabouts of Eddie Howe.

But if you didn’t, you’re probably not on Twitter. Good for you!

While no news outlet could verify this, a number of Celtic supporters on the social media platform claimed that Eddie Howe was in town. Some took this as a signal to make jokes as to his location within Scotland’s biggest city. It was good fun, albeit it lacked anything official.

The Eddie Howe to Celtic rumours have been flying about for months, though.

At the start of this month, sources were claiming that Howe was interested [Football Insider], and that the club had made contact. It had been backed in the press, with Ian Ladyman, football editor of the Daily Mail, claiming Howe should go for it.

Then, nothing for a few weeks. Instead we’ve been treated to constant Roy Keane updates. Also, some vague references to a new manager were made by our majority shareholder Dermot Desmond [Celtic FC]. Talking of Directors though, if they have any savvy they’ll have noticed the difference in reaction between the Roy Keane conversation, and the Eddie Howe one.

Eddie Howe in his Bournemouth days / (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Optimism surrounds Eddie Howe and Celtic

Howe has been out of work since quitting Bournemouth in August 2020 [BBC]. It’s genuinely mystifying as to why he’s not had a top job since then. After leading the Cherries to the Premier League for a multi-year stint, playing exciting football and (more often) recruiting shrewdly, he’s a big name and a known quantity.

Yet, no opportunity has crossed his desk yet. Or, certainly, none that have leapt from the page for the likeable English manager.

So it would be something of a coup if Celtic were to get him. He’s a tactically astute and attacking manager, the kind of name that inspires genuine confidence. Certainly, he divides supporters less than Roy Keane; some fans love the Irishman, others think he’s another Neil Lennon.

If Celtic supporters want a “winner”, then Howe is a fantastic choice. His unheralded Bournemouth team went from strength to strength under him, rising inexorably up the English league pyramid. By some measures, the comparatively small south coast club had no right being in the top-flight at all, let alone for so long. It seems like old news now, but it’s still absolutely incredible.

Whether the board actually respond to the supporters is something else, though. But there are shades of when Brendan Rodgers was linked with us back in 2016. A feeling of “get this done”, of real and genuine hope around the club. Like Rodgers, Howe is someone who fully understands the rigours of and the methods needed in modern top-flight football.

He’s also someone who, arguably, needs to revitalise his reputation to some degree. His departure from Bournemouth was leagues away from the end Rodgers’ Liverpool spell in terms of drama, but there are parallels. Both are managers who either had or have something to prove.

So, we’re not saying the Celtic board should get someone looking at Twitter and basing their decision on that. However, the excitement and gossip surrounding Eddie Howe potentially being in Glasgow suggests one thing:

Fans want him in.

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