RB Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch has opened up on his connection to Celtic as he revealed he will wait until the summer before deciding his future.
The American has been touted as a potential replacement for Neil Lennon, having impressed with his work in Austria and MLS.
With the likes of Eddie Howe, Roy Keane and Enzo Maresca among the frontrunners, Marsch has declared an interest in the Hoops job.
He is under contract in Austria but has a growing reputation after steering Salzburg to the title in recent seasons and to the Champions League group stages.
The American coach is also being lined up by a number of clubs in Germany ahead of an anticipated managerial merry-go-round at the end of term and admits he will wait until the summer before making a final call.
However, he revealed on BBC Sportsound that he has a previous working relationship with the Parkhead club who sponsored him through his pro licence through Scottish FA while at the New York Red Bulls.
He said: "I wanted to further my education as well as trying to qualify myself to be a coach in Europe.
"I had taken my badges in the US but I needed to be educated in Europe, and Red Bull had a relationship with Scotland and specifically Celtic.
"Celtic sponsored me to be in the course and I took the course from 2018-19.
"It was very difficult and stressful for me because I often had to fly over on a Saturday night, directly after our game to the course that lasted eight or nine hours that day, get a little bit of sleep and wake up on the Monday morning and go through the course again.
"Sometimes it would be a Tuesday as well, and I would fly back and coach my team, and I did that probably 15 times.
"What I learned about not just Scottish football, but Scottish people, was how welcoming they were of me, how open they were to the ideas I had. There was a strong sense of togetherness within the course that I found unique and special, and frankly something when I took my course in the US wasn't quite as strong.
"I enjoyed the instructors, the other students and the overall experience."
On the links to Celtic, he added: "Over the years I've known a lot about Celtic, and specifically Celtic and Rangers.
"I knew Mo Johnston in the MLS, I've spoken to him about his experiences of Celtic and Rangers and heard some incredible stories.
"Then when I spent the two years in the course there I really got the sense as to what an important club Celtic is to the people inside Scotland and what it means to the people of Glasgow.
"For me my full focus is on finishing my year in Salzburg and then I'll evaluate in the summer the possibilities for a potential next step."
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