The season is drawing slowly to a close and Celtic fans will hope their search for a new manager will soon conclude with it.
Eddie Howe remains top target to replace Neil Lennon and it feels safe to assume there'll be significant movement one way or the other when the 2020/21 campaign finally wraps up this weekend.
A report on Wednesday claimed a deal is done to bring the former Bournemouth manager to Glasgow, with the finalisation of his backroom staff now the only remaining hurdle to clear.
Howe is keen to reunite with some of his trusted staff from down south. But with the Cherries ongoing quest to return to the Premier League via the play-offs reportedly slowing things down, it remains unclear exactly who could be joining the manager in Glasgow.
Plenty of names have been thrown into the mix and Record Sport Online has taken a look at the most likely options.
Simon Weatherstone
One of Howe's long-time confidantes, the 41-year-old was by his side for the bulk of Bournemouth's remarkable journey out of obscurity.
He joined the Cherries in 2014 but also with Howe and Jason Tindall at Burnley in 2011.
With a rather daunting task on his hands this summer, it's little surprise Howe is holding out for those he trusts most. Weatherstone has a wealth of experience coaching at Premier League experience and it makes sense Howe is prepared to wait on him.
It would also explain the rather protracted recruitment process as the fate of Bournemouth's season hangs in the balance.
Steven Purches
Another who has a long history at Bournemouth, the former Cherries star first worked under Howe as first-team coach in 2017 following a stint in charge of the club's development squad
.He was promoted to assistant boss following Howe's August 2020 departure and has remained in place after Jonathan Woodgate replaced Tindall at the helm.
Again, waiting on him would explain the long wait for Howe's official appointment with Bournemouth's next steps unclear. Woodgate has, thus far, been named boss until the end of the season.
Should the club return to the Premier League, his chances of getting the job full-time will surely skyrocket. However, if they remain in the Championship, they could look to hit the reset button which would surely make it easier for Howe to get the men he wants.
John Kennedy
The current interim boss insisted this week there's been no talks over his future, although he does expect that to change in the coming days.
Kennedy looked supremely relaxed when discussing what comes next for him and it's difficult to decipher whether that means his status at the club is secure or simply the product of a generally laid back demeanour.
Some kind of continuity is often sought when a new regime takes over but Celtic may want to take a clean break from a quite disastrous campaign. Anyway, Kennedy may want to broaden his horizons having now had a taste of being the main man in the dugout.
The 37-year-old will likely always have a place at Parkhead if he wants it but you suspect his ambitions may be best served elsewhere now, having served as assistant under three different managers already.
Jason Tindall
Another who played an integral role in Bournemouth's storied rise, Tindall had a taste of the top job when Howe walked away last summer.
He was sacked in January before taking up a role at Sheffield United as they appointed former Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom as caretaker manager until the end of the campaign.
A reunion with Tindall will surely have crossed Howe's mind but it was reported on Wednesday he's not likely to join his old mate at Parkhead.
Mark Burchill
Perhaps an outside bet, the former Celtic star's name was mentioned when the club's interest in Howe first emerged.
The pair played together at Portsmouth and Burchill would fit the bill if Howe wanted to ensure he could rely on someone with a history at Celtic.
Burchill emerged through the ranks and spent three seasons in the first-team, although hasn't been officially associated with the club since 2001.
He's been working as a scout with Bournemouth which again could have put him on Howe's radar.
