Celtic’s bid to appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new manager could be scuppered by red tape.
The Greek-born Australian is the favourite to replace John Kennedy after talks with first choice Eddie Howe collapsed last week.
It was understood that Postecoglou could be confirmed this week, but now the Times reports that the 55-year-old may not hold the necessary qualifications to take the job.
UEFA rules stipulate that anyone who works as a head coach in any of Europe’s top flight divisions must hold A and B licences, or at least already embarked upon the most advanced course.
That could throw a spanner in the works when it comes to taking the Parkhead hot seat.
After intense speculation at the weekend surrounding his future, Postcoglou commented but was giving little away in regards to where he might end up next.
He said: "I’ve understood there’s some speculation around the future, but I’ve stopped thinking about the what-ifs in the world a long time ago," he said.
"My focus the last couple of days has been on making sure we [Marinos] play well."
It could force Celtic chief executive Dominic McKay and the outgoing Peter Lawwell to examine yet more backup options should it prove to be an insurmountable issue.
Postecoglou’s playing style is thought to be attractive to the Celtic board after steering current club Yokohama Marinos to an unlikely league title victory in 2019.
Prior to mover to Japan, Postecoglou was Australia national team coach and led them to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
