Popular bookies, Paddy Power, had a small, but very brazen, dig at Celtic’s management recruitment policy this afternoon. After Andre Villas Boas made it into the bookies odds for the Celtic management position, Paddy Power’s PR department had a laugh at Celtic’s expense when they contacted the Herald and Times Sport, to say, “AVB? Celtic can barely master ABC at the moment – so he’d certainly be an upgrade.
“Rafa Benitez remains the odds on favourite to be next Celtic boss – then again, last time these types of exotic names were linked to Paradise, they instead turned to the Hibs manager.”
Villas Boas is currently suspended from duties as Marseille manager when he criticised the club for signing Celtic midfielder, Olivier Ntcham, without his consent. AVB said, “This is a decision not made by me.
“He’s a player I specifically said no to. I learned about it when I woke up and went on the number 1 OM website.
“I submitted my resignation, saying that I didn’t agree with the sporting policy.
“Management didn’t give me final say on things. I don’t want money, I just want to go. The club has been through two or three years of just doing anything on transfers and I don’t want to accept that.”
Paddy Power does what it does best and has taken advantage of the furore over AVB’s suspension, but even although he has now entered the bookies’ top 10 for the Hoops managers position, I have a feeling that this would be a move unpopular with the Celtic board considering they they do like to dabble in Celtic’s signing policy……..allegedly.