The former England winger Trevor Sinclair has offered his services to Eddie Howe, should the latter become Celtic’s new manager.
Howe has been widely mentioned in connection with role, as pressure mounts on the current incumbent Neil Lennon.
And on his Talksport show on Wednesday morning, Jim White claimed to have been told that the former Bournemouth manager has been in contact with Celtic’s chief executive.
“One name that keeps on getting mentioned, and I cannot confirm this, but it has been reported to me that Eddie Howe was in Scotland recently playing golf with Peter Lawwell – the man at the top,” said the Glaswegian host.
And despite insisting that he would like to see Lennon “turn it around” at Celtic, Sinclair admitted that Howe would be an “attractive candidate” – provided he has the “balls” to move north of the border.
“For me, he [Howe] is an attractive candidate,” said the 47-year-old, who is a self-confessed Celtic supporter.
“He plays a great brand of football – not the last year, obviously, they got relegated, Bournemouth – but in general I thought he managed that team very well.
“I think he’s a young manager who’s got ambition, I feel he could really stimulate that squad with his different ideas.
“We seen Jamie Carragher talking to Eddie (on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show) about the set-pieces and how intricate they are, and how much they are well-drilled.
“I feel he could do a good job if he went up here. The question is has he got the cojones to go north of Burnley?
“This is what my problem is. He went up to Burnley, he didn’t last two minutes. He likes it on the south coast, he’s got a family.
“Is he prepared to give that lifestyle up to go up north to try and achieve something amazing?”
Sinclair later added: “If Eddie does need a coach, he’s got my number!”
Howe, though, would not be his first-choice Lennon replacement.
“For me, he played excellently when he was up there several years ago, and I think he has got the passion and I think he would stimulate the players and he’s got management experience,” Sinclair said of his former West Ham teammate Paolo di Canio.
“He would be absolutely brilliant for Celtic at the moment.”
Di Canio, who Celtic sold to Sheffield Wednesday in 1997, did not leave Parkhead on the best of terms.
And the controversial Italian last managed at Sunderland in 2013.
Celtic fans – who is your perfect Lennon successor?
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