Legendary striker Henrik Larsson and Manchester United icon Roy Keane – Celtic leadership contenders as Neil Lennon nears exit

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is hanging on to his job after two defeats in four days which saw their crisis continue.

A 2-0 loss to Ross County in the Scottish League Cup was another blow, which could now see his second period as club manager come to an end.

The Bhoys had previously won every domestic cup since 2017 but have now been eliminated from a side they beat 5-0 in September.

It’s not just a problem for Lennon’s side as they have only won two of their last 10 games.

They can no longer qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League after two successive 4-1 defeats to Sparta Prague, while fierce opponents Rangers are now 11 points ahead of them in the Scottish Premiership. Although Celtic have two games in hand as they try to win their tenth consecutive title.

But this race is sure to see Lennon’s role in doubt.

Earlier this month, Sports Breakfast host Alan Brazil admitted that sacking Lennon was a difficult but possibly necessary scenario: “If Neil were to leave, who would be there to come in? There would be a lot of takers, but would they be ideal? And would they have money to spend?

“It’s very easy to blame Neil, but the players have to look at each other and say, ‘Come on, this is huge, it’s ten in a row!’

“It’s a bit like Ole; a lot of fans think maybe it’s time for someone stronger, but they don’t want him to go because they love him so much.

“It’s like that with Neil. My friends from school say it’s a shame, but he has to go.

“They have to do something fast, Neil is a fighter and once he gets his full XI, and Odsonne Edouard is huge, then Celtic will run away.

“But are they going to leave it too late?”

Since those comments on November 6, Celtic have beaten Motherwell, a draw with Hibernian, but then suffered back-to-back losses to Sparta Prague and Ross County.

The latter result, in the Scottish League Cup, led fans to protest outside Celtic Park and increase the growing pressure on Lennon.

But who could replace the Northern Irishman if his term ends this week? talkSPORT.com takes a look.

Gordon strachan

The big favorite to replace Lennon is another former Celtic boss.

He led the Bhoys to three consecutive titles from 2006 to 2008 after taking over from Martin O’Neill, while also winning a Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups.
In the 2006/07 season his side were impressive in the Champions League, beating Benfica and Manchester United at Celtic Park and they reached the round of 16, losing to AC Milan in overtime.

But in 2009, Strachan resigned after failing to win his fourth consecutive title.

The spells with Middlesbrough and Scotland have not been as successful as he would have liked, but he might be able to stabilize the ship if Lennon is forced to step on the plank.

Eddie howe

Having left Bournemouth after their relegation to the Championship this summer, Howe had some time out of the game to consider his next move.

A well-thought-out manager, perhaps crippled by the size of the budget he had on the South Coast, he would certainly be an impressive fit compared to the Scottish giants.

However, Howe may be wondering what the consequences would be if he failed to get things done just north of the border.

You don’t propel the Cherries into the Premier League without being a great coach, there’s no question. But if he were to be beaten to the title by Rangers, thoughts on his credentials might start to differ, making it more difficult for him to secure a Premier League return in the future.

However, if he were to win the club’s tenth consecutive title from where he is now, it would certainly propel him back into the limelight after a few difficult years in the English top flight.

Henrik larsson

If Celtic hold themselves to be a hero, then Larsson could be the man to save them in their hour of need.

Currently at another of his former clubs, Barcelona, ​​the legendary striker will always be linked with a return to Glasgow until he finally takes on the task.

Like Howe, however, the timing of his arrival is vital and while missing the title this season won’t tarnish his reputation at Celtic, it’s not the sort of thing fans and Larsson himself will want as part of his record with the club. .

Moreover, given Ronald Koeman’s predicament at Camp Nou, he is unlikely to want his assistant to get up and leave him mid-campaign.

Marco silva

A manager with Premier League credentials, Silva has been out of the game since his dismissal from his post at Everton last year.

His reputation has diminished due to that spell with the Toffees, but he certainly has a certain quality given the work he has done with Hull City, almost keeping them in the Premier League in 2017.

It’s still a risky meeting with the jury still absent despite its stint in England, but the one the bookmakers seem to believe is a possibility.

Roy Keane

Everyone’s favorite expert, the Manchester United legend ended his playing career with Celtic in 2005/06.

He had spells as manager of Sunderland and Ipswich Town, while he also had time in assistant roles with the Republic of Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

Now, however, we’re more used to seeing him give scathing reviews of teams and players on Sky Sports.

But, as with Silva, the bookies have made him a favorite for the job – but will he leave the cozy studio for a real battle at Celtic? Let’s find out.