Celtic completed their league campaign by beating Hearts 2-1 at Tynecastle but events off the park created more interest.
The guessing game over who would be making their last appearance for Celtic, in the dug-out and on the pitch, was given an extra edge when Neil Lennon revealed that a board statement would be issued regarding developments on the managerial vacancy.
On the park Robbie Keane scored his 16th Celtic goal of the season to put Lennon’s side in front with Zheng Zhi scoring a spectacular winner after Marius Zaliukas had levelled for Hearts.
The future of Lennon and Keane will create the greatest interest over the next 24 hours with various other issues at the club falling into place once the management position has been resolved.
Keane is one of four players currently on loan at Celtic with question marks hanging over the future of various others including Artur Boruc, Andreas Hinkel, Scott Brown and Aiden McGeady.
After the match Keane refused to be drawn on his future, diplomatically telling ESPN: “I’m a Tottenham player, I’ve got a contract with Tottenham Hotspur so I’ll be back there in the summer unless someone tells me different.
Asked about returning to Celtic he said: “There are too many people involved to say that, there are too many parties involved.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to Tottenham, I’ve got a contract there. As far as I’m concerned I’ll be back there until I’m told differently.
“I was with the Tottenham players during the week, they’ve been tremendous and full credit to Harry for the fantastic job he’s done. I’m sure they’ll be back there next season.”
Loan Celts Landry N’Guemo and Diomansy Kamara dropped out of the side that beat Rangers in midweek with Josh Thompson returning to the team and Zheng a surprise inclusion on right midfield.
It was a typically meaty encounter between the sides with the challenges flying in from all angles with Hearts duo David Obou and Larios Kingston coming close to red cards for second half incidents involving Thompson and Hinkel.
Keane had a frustrating start to the match fighting a constant battle with the assistant referee’s offside flag but netted in the 23rd minute when a through ball from McGeady took a touch off a Hearts defender with the on-loan striker wrong footing Hearts keeper Jamie McDonald to put Celtic in front.
Hearts began to enjoy more possession after going behind without threatening the Celtic goal until the 36th minute when Marius Zaliukas caught the Celtic defence flat footed as he raced on to a quickly taken Craig Thomson free-kick to shoot low into the net from 10 yards out.
Despite there being nothing tangible at stake the bad blood between the side’s was obvious with a number of borderline challenges testing the patience of referee Craig Thompson, one of four Thompson’s of various spellings on the park.
The goal that decided the match came from an unlikely source but had class stamped all over it.
Good build up play on the left between Keane and McGeady ended up with a cross into the box that was controlled on the turn by Zhi who swiveled round to net with a shot that took McDonald in the Hearts goal by surprise.
Having publicly slaughtered the players after losing to Ross County in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup Lennon was full of praise after the match for the men who’ve put him in pole position to take over permanently from Tony Mowbray.
Lennon said: “I’ve done a wee bit but the players have been tremendous, in the second half they were really good. We have had a very good week, some really good performances.”
On his own future Lennon added: “When I took on the job as caretaker manager the Chairman assured me that there would be no consideration of anyone for that position until I had completed the job I had been given and showed what I could do.
“I am grateful to the Board that I was able to carry out my role with the benefit of that assurance. I fully appreciate that this means that they have now to start going through that process of consideration and like everyone else, I hope that that can be completed as soon as possible.
“Whatever happens I will always be grateful to have been given the chance to manage the club that I love.”
8 out of 8 says it all. Lennon has been told to prove himself before judgement and Bhoy,has he done that!! He has motivated and galvanised the squad,berating and encouraging them to reach heights they scarcely believed they could. Delighted to put Rangers to the sword-delighted to win the remaining 8 games of the season.Rangers may speculate that they were meaningles games but when you pull on the hoops,it’s pride and passion at stake. Lennon has both in abundance and hopefully will be given the tenure to reconstruct a forward moving and thinking Celtic side. Give him cash and see how far down the rabbit hole he can take us. Hail Hail