Bournemouth lost 3-1 today to Brentford, ending their season short of the play-off finals and removing one of the last obstacles that stood in the way of Eddie Howe formalising his move to Celtic.
Am I waiting for a Monday morning announcement?
No … but it’s imminent now and there’s not really much more reason to keep it under wraps.
The issue with his staff has become more straightforward.
The club itself can now sort out its future and begin planning the next phase of it. So can ours.
His staff now know what their contracts are worth.
His final loyalty payments and bonuses can be settled first thing on Monday. They can begin their new era just as ours gets started as well; both clubs are essentially in a similar positon, with a lot of work to be done.
Most important right now is that both have clarity.
The rumour mill continues to churn out nonsense; Palace are supposed to want him, but reports from those who matter – those close to Howe – scorched any chance of him going there.
Wolves, which might have been an option and would have been a better one by far for him, have already opened talks with their top target and so it’s clear Howe was never in their thinking or soundings had already taken place and been rebuffed.
Those in the media who’re hoping we get snubbed for some EPL plodder are basically running out of options for their scare stories … and now time has run out on them too.
Howe’s appointment has to come within the next wee while; I actually thought it would have to come this week, because season tickets are going out in a few short days and if the club wants to sell them it has to do a lot better on the PR front than it has lately.
Today Brentford (and Ivan Toney) cleared the path for us.
Onwards on it, Celtic, and let’s get this announcement made at last.