Today’s Scottish Cup draw brought a number of Celtic issues sharply into focus.
Six weeks with an Interim Manager have proved fairly lifeless so far but with Eddie Howe apparently deep in talks to take over the clock is ticking towards a likely Scottish Cup trip to Ibrox.
By tea-time on April 18 Celtic will have a quarter-final tie against St Johnstone or Clyde to look forward to or the post mortem for this season can get underway.
How the draw impacts on the Howe talks is hard to tell. There is no such thing as a free hit in a Glasgow derby but a new manager in the dug out at Ibrox wouldn’t be called to account if the result goes the wrong way. If successful a hero emerges from a season of misery.
Paul Hartley’s Cove might have something to say but it looks almost certain that Celtic will have to win at Ibrox to salvage this season and keep alive hopes of a fifth Scottish Cup success.
If talks with Howe are going well an announcement should be made in the next few days, within a month there are two Glasgow derbies to discover exactly what he is inheriting in a squad, with Ibrox hosting the first SPFL derby of next season for good measure.
? We will face Rangers or Cove Rangers away in the #ScottishCup Fourth Round.
Full details to be confirmed.#CelticFC ? pic.twitter.com/oFYrunOjef
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 4, 2021
Announce Howe… RIGHT NOW
— Jude (@wattphilipsz) April 4, 2021
Hope its Cove
— K9Dug ????????? (@K9Dug) April 4, 2021
Bring them on
— Paul (@Wyndbhoy67) April 4, 2021
Caaaammm on ???
— Con70 (@Celticsam4) April 4, 2021
Announce Howe in the dugout for it
— Aidan Ritchie (@AidanRitchie27) April 4, 2021
Bring them on ?
— Christopher McQuade (@chrismcquade67) April 4, 2021
Due a win against them. Good time to start.
— ? (@rolexfan3) April 4, 2021
Chance for some honour this year, let’s take it!!!
?????— Chuck McCaughley (@ChuckMccaughley) April 4, 2021