Trusted reporter gives dramatic timeline for collapse of Celtic’s Howe deal

A report in the Daily Record claims that Eddie Howe’s move to Celtic was still on as recently as Thursday.

On Wednesday 26^th of May Celtic launched their Season Ticket renewal campaign admitting that they had hoped to have a manager in place but claiming that they would have one very soon.

Two days later, on the afternoon of the 28^th it emerged that the Howe deal was off with the club confirming the news in a statement just before 6pm.

Many Celtic fans were less than impressed that more than three months after the resignation of Neil Lennon the club appeared to be back to square one.

Within 24 hours of Howe rejecting the job the focus switched to Ange Postecoglou with some claims that the club were in advanced talks with the former Australian national team manager.

Explaining the timeline, Keith Jackson of the Daily Record reports:

In the Daily Record, Jackson reveals:

Record Sportunderstands the Englishman officially turned Celtic down during a lengthy discussion with Peter Lawwell on Friday. Howe blamed the late U-turn on the reluctance of his preferred backroom team to join him in Glasgow but he also raised security concerns after a recent fire-bomb attack on Lawwell’s family home.

The 11th hour decision shocked Lawwell and incoming successor Dominic McKay, both of whom had been convinced that the deal for Howe was all but done. They had expected to unveil Howe at Celtic Park last week.

In 2020 Jackson was the only newspaper reporter to get in an interview with Lawwell.

In Monday’s edition of The Times, Scots Tory MSP and former Daily Record and Sun investigative reporter Russell Findlay claimed that the attack on Lawwell’s cars was linked to organised crime. The attack on Lawwell’s home took place in the early hours of May 19.

Despite Postecoglou requiring a Work Permit and not having a UEFA Pro Coaching licence Celtic seem to be very confident of appointing the Yokohama Marinos boss in to succeed Lennon.