Celtic’s Manager Search Is Probably Well Underway In Spite Of Weekend Shock.

Imagine that none of what we’ve seen in the past two months has been a coincidence. Imagine that Dermot Desmond flew to Glasgow specifically to speak to the manager.

What was that discussion about? Plans for the summer, yes, but a new contract as well. That would almost certainly have been one of the topics up for discussion. Ange’s agent had already been invited to the title party.

Then Slot knocked them back, Ange moved to the top of the list and someone at Spurs made sure that was in the public domain even as we were preparing for a cup final. But if our club was blindsided by the speed at which this thing has moved, we’ve probably been doing due diligence since at least Desmond’s visit.

I don’t believe that he would have gotten a straight answer on a new contract at that time; certainly nothing was put on paper and if the manager had showed the least reticence, and I think his agents were probably keeping Spurs appraised of his willingness to go there the whole time, Desmond would not have simply shrugged and gone home.

We’ve probably known since then that this was in the wind, or at least was a distinct possibility. And whilst I wouldn’t think that discussions with other managers will have taken place, we’d have been going over the likely candidates, both in and out of work, and trying to decide who the best fit is going to be. And that’s a good thought to have.

Because, of course, the scenario we all fear here is one where we’re sweating this for weeks. That does not have to be the case. There has to have been a Plan B for just this type of scenario, because it has, in some ways, been fairly well telegraphed.

If Desmond came here for a signature on a contract and didn’t get it, that was the moment to start thinking “What if?” And I know that this board has learned its lessons the hard way when it comes to stuff like this, and I believe there’s probably a solution at hand.

I’m not saying we’ll appoint someone right away … but this won’t drag on for a month. Expect to be surprised by how fast things move … and by some of the names you hear.

It certainly won’t be a Steve Clarke type appointment, not as follow up to the last guy, not a chance in Hell.