Sources close to GIVEMESPORT have explained some of the problems behind Celtic's failed attempts to appoint Eddie Howe. 

What's the latest Celtic news? 

With a deal to bring the former Bournemouth coach up to Glasgow now off, Yokohama F. Marinos manager Ange Postecoglou has emerged as the front-runner, albeit there are some doubts as to whether or not he holds the necessary coaching badges. 

Last week, the likes of Paul Lambert and Lucien Favre were also mooted as potential options by The Daily Mail

Why didn't Celtic manage to appoint Howe?

A source close to the situation has revealed that Richard Hughes - Howe's choice as a potential sporting director - refused to move to Celtic. 

While the club weren't exactly enamored with the idea of Howe bringing what would effectively be a director of football with him, it was Hughes who proved the most unwilling to go. 

Now, the club seem to be closing in on Postecoglou, having revealed they had entered talks with another candidate after confirming Howe would not be joining them. 

Who is Richard Hughes? 

Hughes, a 5-cap Scotland midfielder, played alongside Howe at Portsmouth in the early 2000s, having been signed by Harry Redknapp. 

After retiring in 2014, he linked up with Howe at Bournemouth as part of the recruitment team and was promoted to the Technical Director role while they were a Premier League outfit. 

Speaking to Bournemouth's official website in 2019, he revealed he was hugely interested in judging a potential signing's attitude, as well as what they can do on the pitch. 

"Here, character and attitude is such a huge aspect of the players we have and the culture that Eddie’s instilled at the club," he said. 

"That means that finding information out about a player beyond what you can see in the 90 minutes is more important."

What have Celtic said about their managerial search? 

On Friday, the club released an official statement where they confirmed Howe would not be joining them, while revealing they had engaged with other candidates. 

"We can now confirm that Eddie will not be joining the Club, for reasons outwith both his and Celtic’s control," they wrote. 

"We wish Eddie success for the future.

"As part of the ongoing process we have engaged with a number of candidates.

"We fully appreciate our fans will be seeking clarity on this matter and we aim, very shortly, to announce the appointment of a Manager with the quality and desire to take Celtic forward and bring further success to our supporters."

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