Celtic’s Two Main Managerial Targets Are Slipping Away Again

There is a rather interesting managerial situation developing, and I cannot help thinking Celtic could be watching another opportunity pass them by.

Thomas Frank is reportedly closing in on the Crystal Palace job after Pierre Sage was dismissed, with reports suggesting the former Brentford and Tottenham manager is in advanced talks with the Premier League club.

And Jens Berthel Askou is also being considered

That second name should make interesting reading for anyone who remembers the managerial discussions around Celtic this summer.

Askou was the man who transformed Motherwell into one of the most entertaining sides in Scottish football. His attacking approach, tactical ideas and ability to get the best out of his players made him a serious candidate for the Celtic job.

Yet we didn’t appoint him.

Instead, we stuck with Martin O’Neill, while Askou moved to Toulouse and continued his development in France.

Now, just months later, he is being linked with a Premier League job.

There is a certain irony in that. A manager who could have been standing in the Celtic dugout is now being considered by a club in the richest league in world football.

Of course, there is no guarantee Askou would have been the right appointment for us. Managing Motherwell is one thing, managing Celtic is another. But the interest from Palace tells us that his reputation is continuing to grow.

Then there is Thomas Frank.

For me, Frank is one of the most attractive managerial names potentially available to Celtic. His work at Brentford was outstanding. He took them into the Premier League, established them there and helped turn them into a side capable of competing with clubs possessing far greater resources.

His Tottenham spell was disappointing, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise. But one difficult job doesn’t erase everything he achieved at Brentford.

If Celtic are genuinely considering a change of manager next summer, why wouldn’t we at least explore what it would take to bring somebody like Frank to Glasgow?

We should be ambitious enough to look beyond the usual names and consider managers with proven experience of building teams, developing players and competing against bigger budgets.

I don’t know whether Frank would ever seriously consider Celtic, or whether he will even remain available once the Palace situation is resolved.

But this is exactly the sort of conversation our board should be having now.

We cannot wait until the end of the season, panic, and then start looking for a manager.

The Askou situation should already be a lesson. We had an opportunity to bring in an ambitious young coach, and now he is being linked with the Premier League.

If Celtic want to move forward, we need to start thinking bigger.

Because the next managerial appointment could be one of the most important decisions we make in years.