AdminThe summer of 2021 was a tumultuous time for Celtic Football Club. The team had just finished a disastrous season, finishing 25 points behind their arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. Manager Neil Lennon had been sacked, and the club was in disarray.
As the club searched for a new manager, one name kept popping up: Eddie Howe. The Englishman had built a reputation as one of the brightest young managers in the game, leading Bournemouth to promotion to the Premier League and establishing them as a solid mid-table team.
Howe was heavily linked with the Celtic job, and it seemed like a done deal. However, in a shocking twist, Howe turned down the opportunity to become Celtic’s manager. At the time, it was rumored that Howe had gotten cold feet about taking the job, but now we know the real reason.
Speaking on a podcast, Howe revealed that he had been attracted to the Celtic job, but he felt that he couldn’t take it without his entire coaching staff. Howe explained that he had taken a year out of the game after leaving Bournemouth, and he had used that time to recharge and refocus. When Celtic came calling, Howe was ready to return to management, but he knew that he couldn’t do it without his trusted lieutenants.
Howe stated that he needed to get his team together before making a decision, but unfortunately, he couldn’t get everyone on board. As a result, Howe decided to turn down the Celtic job, a decision that he admits was difficult to make.
Howe also addressed accusations from Simon Jordan that he “bottled” the opportunity to manage Celtic. Howe denied this, saying that it was unfair to jump to conclusions and that he had made a thoughtful decision. Howe acknowledged that he had been attracted to the Celtic job, but he felt that he couldn’t take it without his entire coaching staff.
In the end, Celtic appointed Ange Postecoglou as their manager, and the rest is history. Postecoglou has been a revelation at Celtic, leading the team to two consecutive Scottish Premiership titles and transforming the team’s style of play. While it’s impossible to know for sure, it’s interesting to speculate about what might have been if Howe had taken the Celtic job. Would he have enjoyed the same success as Postecoglou? Would he have implemented a similar style of play? Unfortunately, we’ll never know.
One thing is certain, however: Eddie Howe’s decision to turn down the Celtic job was a turning point in the club’s history. If Howe had taken the job, it’s likely that Celtic’s trajectory would have been very different. Instead, the club appointed Postecoglou, and the rest is history.
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