Henrik Larsson has distanced himself from a return to Celtic as manager - for now. The Hoops legend emerged as one of the candidates for the job in the wake of Tony Mowbray‘s departure.
Larsson is currently boss of Swedish side BOIS Landskrona and says now is not the right time for a return to the east end of Glasgow.
He told the Scottish Daily Mail: "I will always be connected with that [Celtic] job.
“It doesn’t matter what I say, it’s a great honour to be connected with that job.
“But I don’t think it’s fair to speak about another man’s job, either, and that is why I have refused to say too much.
“The future will tell if it will be or not.”
The job is currently being filled by former team-mate Neil Lennon on an interim basis and Larsson believes, if he can deliver silverware this season, the former skipper will land the role for good.
He added: “If Lenny wins the Scottish Cup, then the job is in his hands and it’s great for him.
“I feel for sure he is going to do it. Both he and Johan Mjallby know what it means to play for Celtic and I’m sure he is going to instil that into the players.”
Lennon admits the Cup is his best chance of silverware — suggesting he believes the title race is all but over.
Rangers will move 13 points clear at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League if they defeat Aberdeen at Ibrox tonight.
And, although the official party line from both Celtic and Rangers is the championship is not yet over, Lennon has opted to take a realistic stance on their hopes of overhauling the deficit with just six games to go.
That is why the Hoops boss is placing such importance on their Scottish Cup semi-final with Irn-Bru First Division side Ross County this weekend.
He told the Celtic View: “While we keep pushing Rangers for the title, this is our most realistic chance of silverware so we want to get to that final.
“It’s the most important game of the season for us now.
“I know semi-finals are very nervy occasions. They are difficult and have a different atmosphere in a different stadium, so we won’t be taking anything for granted.
“There will be no complacency on our part.”
Meanwhile, Aiden McGeady believes there are shades of previous bosses Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan in Lennon’s own style of management.
The former skipper has enjoyed an impressive start to his tenure with wins over both Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the SPL.
McGeady said: “His style’s very similar because he has taken things from them and is using them.
“The training is very similar but Lenny is his own man and he has his own ideas.
“He has a lot of communication with players but he won’t break up training too much.
“If he has something to say, then he’ll say it, but he’s not one for stopping the coaching a lot, which I think is good.
“He’s very passionate about the club and has been a player here for years before coaching so he loves the place.
“Being a Celtic fan, he knows what it’s all about and that’s great for us.”