The next Celtic manager will come from outside the club. That’s been my firm opinion and belief since Neil Lennon left the club in the wake of defeat to Ross County.
However, today’s result against Dundee United is further proof that the prospect of making John Kennedy a permanent manager at Celtic is unacceptable.
In fairness to Kennedy, that speculation has never come from him. From the very moment he was appointed interim boss, he made it clear that the end to this season isn’t about him.
He told The Daily Record as recently as this weekend: “I’m honestly not taking myself into consideration because if I start doing that, it becomes about me. It becomes about me showing myself and that might not be what’s right for the team and the club at this time. Everything I do is what I think is the right thing for now, and I’ll do that the best I possibly can.”
I believe him. I don’t think he’s trying to put himself forward for the job.
Clearly he has the ambition to be his own man, but I’ve always considered that he’d leave the club in an attempt to find success as a manager elsewhere first.
Still, the audition concept has been well worn out by media outlets over the last two weeks. It can’t be allowed to take hold.
Kennedy’s role in the failures this season won’t be overlooked.
He’d be the first man to tell you our problems this term have to be looked at as a collective. The executive team, the board, the coaches, the recruitment staff and the players have all fallen short over the last 12 months.
The former defender is part of that and shouldn’t get the chance at his first job in management simply because he’s a body in the building.
The bare minimum we’d have expected from him if he was the right man for the job were signs of progress. Instead, we’ve had the same stale team selections, baffling substitutions and fading performances. He doesn’t have any more of a grip on this Celtic team than Lennon had.
There would have been concerns about Kennedy taking charge even if he’d won the eight remaining league games, including two derbies, and the Scottish Cup.
As it stands, the media mooted audition is surely already over. A failure to delay our rivals title win beyond their visit to Celtic Park is a hurdle he won’t overcome.
Celtic fans won’t accept his appointment, and rightly so.
In other news, James McClean has sent out a class Instagram message in the wake of today’s title defeat.
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