Thread: Mark Hughes the standout choice?

The Celtic board have a big decision to make in the near future there is no doubt about it. This isn't just about picking Tony Mowbray's successor, this is about picking the RIGHT man to pull the club back from the rut it now finds itself in.


Neil Lennon has to be early favourite to get the job as he seems to be playing out a prolonged interview for the hot seat. But other names are emerging and the denials aren't coming, well not yet anyway. The stand out candidate so far is Mark Hughes, while this wont be music to some Celtic fans ears the board could do a lot worse than signing this man. He is a good strong manager who demands respect from his players. When the question about Celtic was put to Hughes's right hand man Mark Bowen he refused to rule out a move to Glasgow.


Next there is Paul Lambert who said only two or three weeks ago that he wouldn't want to manage Celtic for various reasons, but since then he has seemed to soften his stance ever so slightly. He has been plying his trade down south and been doing well but I feel Lambert should keep doing so down south for the moment. Whilst I believe he is a Celtic manager in waiting, I do not believe he's the next one.


Roy Keane was another man mentioned as soon as Mowbray was given the boot. I don't know about anyone else but I wouldn't want him selling the pies down in the kiosk never mind have him in charge of the team. He done well with Sunderland and got them promoted to the premiership but the amount of money he spent on mediocre players was startling, at Celtic we cannot afford to have a manager make so many mistakes in the transfer market. Now at Ipswich he has failed to lift the team and the axe could be falling at the end of the season. Yes, this man was a leader on the pitch but at the moment I see no translation to the dug out.


How about Henrik Larsson? This would be a strange move if the board were to make it. Larsson was a fantastic player for Celtic and loved by Celtic fans the world over but to have him as manager could jeopardise all this. He needs to quietly go about his business with his managerial career and in the future who knows, but if the board were to go down this road I would see it as more a season ticket selling exercise than what is good for the club long term.


None of this could matter if Neil Lennon restores some pride and wins the Scottish cup by the end of the season. He has found himself in a position he could have only dreamed of a year or two back when he started coaching with the club. I believe while there is no doubt it's too earlier for Lennon if he were to get the results and show his credentials then I wouldn't object to him taking the job permanently. I know that contradicts what I said previously about other candidates but he would no doubt draw on his relationships with the Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan to learn on the job. Managing Celtic isn't just about managing a squad it's about managing expectations of the support and all the pressure the media brings and that's where Lennon would have the upper hand.


We will wait and see.

I must be losing my mind, I agree with just about everything you said there.

Lennon is my choice for now, can't see anybody better at the moment, even Hughes.
Says all the right things and i'm sure has only what's best for Celtic at heart. I think for Hughes it would just be a job until something better(EPL) came along. He gives me that impression.

Agree about Keane, never want him near that dug-out. Awful man, awful manager.

Henke and Lambo I'd not really want to see either as both have legend status within the CP walls. What a shame if any one of them came and made a cnut of it.

So Lennon it is, that'll please the paddys.

Willie McStay is the man - with lenny number 2!!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Willie McStay is the man - with lenny number 2!!

Willie you have a team to manage stop coming on celtic sites

We Want Martin

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Willie McStay is the man - with lenny number 2!!

outstanding candidate

I truly believe Paul Lambert down the line will be manager one day of our great club

Lennons a shrewdy and you can bet he'll give it is best shot at impressing the board.he knows how to get the fans and on his side and this could play a significant part in the decision.

on a side note does anybody know why lennon was not allowed on teambus.was he he seen as maybe a bad influence.not that im suggesting a conspiracy to get rid of mowbray or anything!?

Hughes for me all the way. Manager of 2 EPL teams and a national squad - he has some sort of track record. Although we won't get him.

Funny how nobody seems to worry about Lennon making an arse of it and ruining his legend status.

Whoever it is we better fcuking get it right...