John Kennedy is refusing to rule himself out of the running for Celtic Director of Football job.
The interim manager is adamant he has held no discussions with club hierarchy over the newly-created Parkhead position.
However, although Kennedy has worked his way through the coaching ranks, he’s determined not to “pigeon-hole” himself to any certain role or limit his options in the future.
Nothing is currently on the table for the 37-year-old at this stage as he prepares to take the team for the final three Premiership games of the season starting tomorrow against Rangers.
Kennedy is set to be replaced as full-time manager with Eddie Howe the No.1 choice, whilst Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes is amongst the candidates for a role outside of the coaching staff.
The caretaker boss says he will soon assess his position, but is not tying himself down to any particular type of task.
Asked about a story linking him to the DoF post, Kennedy said: “I haven’t had any discussions with the club about that position. At no point have I spoken to anyone about that.
“Yeah, its been made up. Someone’s obviously had a guess at it!
“I think because there’s so much speculation around the manager and behind the scenes, how it might look, people try to piece it together themselves and put it out there.
“In terms of me going forward, ever since I stopped playing, I have come into coaching the youth team and every step along the way, I have always been in a position where one I feel I am progressing in the right way, secondly I feel a challenge.
“On top of that is being in the right environment and I’ve always had that. It’s been important for me.
“I have made the progression through the ranks in the coaching side of things from youth, to reserve, to first-team, to assistant manager to now kind of doing what I am at the moment.
“Within that, I’ve always felt I am going somewhere. I have never felt like I have stood still. I have always felt I’m in a good place. You are always challenged, there’s always the next challenge at Celtic.
“I’ve always felt there’s a progression there. I have worked at that as well behind the scenes to maximise what I can do and how I learn.
“It’s always for me about the challenge. I have never pigeon-holed myself into being one thing.
“If the challenge is right and I think it is a good opportunity, then I will always look at something. I would never close anything off.
“I very much enjoy being on the pitch, I’ll say that. Working with players, being on that side of it and that’s what I have loved doing.
“So, again, I just have to probably sit down in the next two or three weeks. One to see what my options are, secondly, to see what’s the right next step for me in my career.
“But it always has to be the right thing for me that I feel I’ll be challenged in it and that I’m moving in the right direction.”
Kennedy has met with new CEO Dominic McKay for the first time, but added: “It was just an introduction. He came into the Training Ground and met all of the staff.
“We had a very casual conversation along with Peter (Lawwell). It was more of a greeting and an introduction. That’s all it was.”
Asked if his future was amongst conversation topics, he added: “No. It’s very much at the moment the club is ongoing on how they are looking at things. Who they are maybe having discussions with and how they are going to do things going forward.
“So we haven’t had that discussion in terms of what is going to happen yet. It is very much about preparing the team, go into the games and do that on a weekly basis.
“We’re obviously reaching the end of the season now, so things will have to be decided pretty soon I’d imagine, but the club will be working on that behind the scenes.
“He (McKay) is obviously a young, hungry guy who sees this as a challenge and a good step for him.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, so he’ll have to get his teeth into that quickly.”
