Gordon Strachan is the favourite to be named Celtic’s next permanent manager.
The Hoops’ shock Betfred Cup loss to Ross County yesterday sparked a protest against current boss Neil Lennon and his players outside Celtic Park.
Pressure is mounting on the Parkhead club’s hierarchy to make a change, with Rangers threatening to kill off their hopes of a record 10th consecutive league title.
And Gordon Strachan now leads the betting with two bookmakers to leave his player development post at Dens Park and return for a second spell as Celtic boss, should the role become available.
Betfair and Paddy Power both have Strachan as 6/4 favourite to replace Lennon, with former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe on his coattails at 5/2.
Strachan has previously spoken of his work with Dundee as a “labour of love”.
“I’m absolutely loving it,” he told Graham Spiers’ Press Box podcast in October.
“We have to prepare players. The mantra at Dundee now is: The player.
“How do we make the player better? Not the system, not the back four. We can do that, but unless you make the player technically good and incredibly fit then whatever system you’ve got’s not going to work because you will make mistakes.
“Us, in Scotland, we get (the ball) and because we lack the ability and belief in beating players and shielding it, we will play balls first time – 50/50 passes – and we’ll go: ‘Unlucky,’ as coaches.
“No. It’s not unlucky. It’s because you’re scared to be engaged with somebody coming at you. We’ve got to try and give everybody at Dundee the ability to beat people.”
After Celtic’s Betfred Cup hopes were ended yesterday, under fire boss Lennon insisted he has no intention of walking away from his job.
And asked whether he would understand if the club’s board decided to remove him, he said: “No, I think it’s too soon for that. We have lost one trophy, that’s gone. Our priority is the league, it always is, every time we come into a season.
“We are out of Europe, so it’s not been great, but there’s plenty of time to turn it around. But it’s alright me saying that, we have to show it with action now.
“I think I should get more time at it but, if not, then so be it.”