It's a rather cruel reality but Celtic fans have been thinking about who will be their next boss long before Neil Lennon resigned on Tuesday.
A nightmare campaign left the 49-year-old clinging on in November and December before the end was officially announced in the aftermath of the wretched defeat to Ross County.
Celtic sit 18 points adrift and the big challenge facing interim boss John Kennedy is stopping Rangers winning the league at Parkhead when the teams on March 21.
What comes after that is less clear cut both on and off the pitch with a director of football set to join incoming chief executive Dominic McKay in a Parkhead revamp.
And that level of uncertainty is being keenly felt with oddsmakers who have yet to secure a firm grip on who they believe will replace the Irishman on a permanent basis.
Oddschecker's Callum Wilson said: "Usually with football specials markets, someone 'in the know' drives the price on one candidate down significantly, then they remain strong in the betting.
"This hasn't been the case in the next Celtic manager market, with at least five 'weak' favourites since the market opened.
"Eddie Howe, Rafa Benitez, Gordon Strachan and Steve Clarke have all briefly been favourites for short periods, with John Kennedy now joining them.
"With Kennedy's current price of 2/1 only indicating a 33 per cent chance he gets the job - it seems bookies and punters are just as in the dark as Celtic fans over who the next manager will be."
The current next Celtic manager odds - provided by Oddschecker
Gordon Strachan - 25/1
Dan Petrescu - 25/1
Jack Ross - 22/1
Alex Neil - 20/1
Leonardo Jardim - 20/1
Roy Keane - 16/1
Rafa Benitez - 10/1
Steve Clarke - 8/1
Roberto Martinez - 7/1
Frank Lampard - 4/1
Eddie Howe - 9/4
John Kennedy - 2/1
