Henrik Larsson admits he was tempted to manage Celtic

It’s no secret to Celtic fans that Henrik Larsson would love to manage Celtic, and I think every fan would want him in the dugout at Celtic Park someday.

Speaking to BBCScotland’s Tom English the Swede spoke about the rumours linking him with a move to Celtic before current manager Ronny Deila took over.

“There was a lot of substance in that, but I still feel that I wasn’t ready for it,” he explains.

“The circumstances weren’t the right ones. I think the day you underestimate the importance of the job at Celtic football club that’s the day when you fail. I’ve seen a few coaches doing that.

“Was I tempted? Of course I was tempted, but at the same time I had signed a one-year deal to manage Falkenbergs and it wasn’t the time to leave them.

“We had a chat (with Celtic) and we’ll leave it at that. I felt that the timing wasn’t right, not for me and not for the family. I think as long as I’m in this line of work I’m always going to be mentioned when Celtic are looking for a new manager.”

In a career that spanned over seven years, Larsson was at the centre of the generation of players that formulated my first footballing memories in all its glory and anguish.

The nostalgia thinking back to the glory days of the early 00’s. The controversy in Turin against Juventus and the elation of a 4-3 win against them at Celtic Park in 2001. Missing out on the last-16 of the Champions league with nine points in the group stages was almost unheard of and still is today. Then there’s the road to Seville in 2003 when Celtic played in the UEFA Cup Final against none other than Jose Mourinho’s Porto. All in all, it was a golden generation for Celtic football club and their fans to bask in.

Larsson still struggles with the disappointment of that night in Seville.

“I wasn’t happy (about Seville) at all,” he says. “I’d rather not have scored the two goals and we won the game. It’s not a happy memory, but I’ve learned to live with it now.

“It took me a long time to get over it. We’re talking years, because you shouldn’t lose that game.

“Scoring two goals against Porto. We shouldn’t lose. They won the Champions League the year after, so they were a very good side, but I still think we had them. We had them.”

He also admitted that he still misses the club and fans and the affection he has towards both.

“I miss the fans. We have a special relationship but I also miss the people around the club even though there aren’t any players left from my day. I remember the staff, like John Clark or Angie, who did the clothes for us, and Hayesy (John Hayes), the groundsman.

“They’ve always been loyal to me and I think they appreciated the way that I was loyal to them. It’s no secret that I had opportunities to leave the club earlier, but I loved it there. I was never interested in going down south and maybe earning a little bit more money because I had a good contract at Celtic.

“No regrets about that at all. How can I regret that? The career I had at Celtic, the amount of goals and assists and the relationship with the fans and the club, I can’t regret that. That’s something I’m going to cherish as long as I live.”