Former Celtic star Mark McGhee insists Eddie Howe would take time to mount a title challenge if handed the Parkhead job.
The former Bournemouth boss has been backed by the bookies to take over the Celtic Park hot seat with speculation over Neil Lennon 's future continuing.
The Irishman insisted in the wake of his side's 2-2 draw with Livingston that he would not walk away, but his side remain winless in 2021.
With the Celtic board set to review Lennon's position in the coming days, there has been calls from pundits and fans to wield the axe immediately and appoint a successor.
Ex-Aberdeen, Motherwell and Brighton boss McGhee has warned that it may take time for Howe to get his way of playing across to the team.
And he wouldn't expect him to be able to keep Celtic 's faint title hopes alive this season, believing they may struggle to rival Rangers in the Premiership again next term even with a new gaffer.
McGhee told the PLZ Football Show : “Eddie Howe is your modern coach. Many of the sorts of things Brendan would have been doing, Eddie would continue that.
“I don’t know if he’s the kind of guy that would come in and turn it around this season and suddenly start catching Rangers. I don’t know if that is his effect.
“I think his effect is more the medium to longer term approach with recruitment and looking at all of that, and getting that right again.
“I think Eddie Howe would be a brilliant appointment but I don’t expect him to start winning the league this season or maybe next season.
“I think it would take Eddie Howe time to really implement his methodology.”
