Opinion: End of the Road For Faithful Celtic Servant

If Eddie Howe is to become the next Celtic manager shortly there is another major decision to make about John Kennedy’s future.

The interim Celtic boss has been at the club pretty much all his life. His journey through the ranks of the club below:

Assistant Manager/Interim Boss
Mar 2019 – Present – 2 years 2 months

First Team Coach
Jul 2014 – Feb 2019 – 4 years 8 months

Development Squad Coach
Oct 2012 – Jul 2014 – 1 year 10 months

Under 19 Coach
Jul 2011 – Oct 2012 – 1 year 4 months

First Team Scout
Feb 2010 – Jul 2011 – 1 year 6 months

Professional footballer
Celtic Football Club
Jul 1999 – Dec 2009 – 10 years 6 months

The phrase ‘part of the furniture’ comes to mind after looking at what John has done during his time at the club.

But, in my opinion, it’s time for the coach to move on. I don’t write that flippantly or with any twinge of anger about how this season unfolded. For me, it’s time to see John go out and make a career for himself elsewhere.

The former defender has his UEFA Pro and UEFA A Licence, he has a firm grasp of tactical knowhow and has worked under the learning tree of Brendan Rodgers.

He has a lot to offer a club looking for a new manager.

A new era will begin in the summer and I’d like to think the new manager will have his own assistant and first team coach in the building. That would set John back down the pecking order and leave him back on the developmental side of things.

I think John is too talented and experienced to go back the way. He owes it to himself to go out and see if he can have a real go at things.

If he does the business the Celtic job could be there further down the line. Right now, a clean break is what’s needed.

I have no idea what John is thinking or what Celtic have in store for him but I’d urge him to resist any advances to keep him at the club.