Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are reportedly planning an approach for Alex Neil after his fine job in the Championship with Preston North End.
There are a few attributes that Celtic will be looking for when choosing their next permanent manager.
He must have a good record when it comes to bringing through and improving young players. He must play attractive, attacking football with forward-thinking tactics. And if he knows Scottish football like the back of his hand, well, that is just another plus.
Alex Neil, then, ticks every box.
The Mail reported this week that the 37-year-old is one of the names on Celtic’s hit list as they look to replace Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.
And while Neil might not be a marquee appointment, he appears to have the right character and approach to succeed in Glasgow.
After all, the former Hamilton boss is renowned for his exciting brand of football, a style that made Norwich City stand out in their brief spell in the Premier League in 2015/16 and has turned Preston North End into one of the Championship’s most watchable sides.
During his time at Deepdale, he has transformed a number of players from run-of-the-mill second tier footballers into some of the league’s most feared talents. Alan Browne, Callum Robinson and Josh Earl have all made great strides under Neil.
So with Celtic’s transfer strategy revolving around selling on young talents for a big profit, the Bellshill-born coach has proven already that he shares a few similarities with his potential Parkhead predecessor.
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