Chris Sutton believes Roy Keane should already be Celtic's new manager if he is the Parkhead hierarchy's top choice for the job.
And he insists it "doesn't make sense" that the Cork native is still potentially waiting on the call, reports The Daily Record.
Keane has been heavily linked with the post in recent weeks as some bookmakers suspended their next manager markets once again after a flurry of bets for the former Ireland assistant to Martin O'Neill.
O'Neill himself was talking his old colleague up on Sunday's coverage of the derby against Rangers - insisting the Keane of 2021 is a different man compared to the one that managed Ipswich and Sunderland a decade ago and more.
Keane enjoys a solid relationship with Parkhead's main shareholder Dermot Desmond, who provided supporters with an update on the search for a new boss during the week.
And speaking to BT Sport's Scottish Football Extra, Sutton said: "That's the million dollar question.
"At this moment in time, I think Roy Keane, if he was appointed he would split Celtic fans.
"Celtic fans want somebody like a Brendan Rodgers, but when Brendan Rodgers moved to Celtic all the stars aligned for that.
"So I think they want more of a coach-type manager, somebody who is going to organise the team. I'm not saying Roy Keane couldn't do that, but are there better candidates out there who would?
"Roy Keane isn't in work at this moment in time - well, not in a manager's job.
"So if Roy Keane was going to get the job, why on earth wasn't he put in place weeks ago? Because the mess Celtic are in, the planning which they've got to come, he could have a look at the younger players maybe with the thought of playing them next season.
"It doesn't make any sense to me that somebody who, at this moment in time, isn't in work isn't in the Celtic job. It's daft."
Sutton's fellow pundit, Rangers hero Ally McCoist, met up with Keane during the previous international break as they both watched Scotland's Euro 2020 playoff win over Serbia from Wembley Stadium.
Keane was made up for McCoist and the country as a whole, but the Ibrox legend wanted to know if Keane would be interested in a move to Glasgow.
Neil Lennon was still in position back then but the dissatisfaction from fans towards his reign was only weeks away from reaching boiling point in the form of protests outside Celtic Park - however Keane gave nothing away.
McCoist said: "I was with Roy Keane last year at Wembley. Roy and I chatted for at least 20 minutes and I can tell you all... he didn't tell me a thing.
"I wasn't short of asking, every two minutes I asked him the question!
"Never mind a great footballer - I bet he's some card player, he'd be some poker player, Roy Keane."
