Rangers legend Ally McCoist has dismissed reports Frank Lampard could be set for the Celtic job following his sacking as Chelsea manager.
Lampard enjoyed a glittering 13-year career with the Blues and served the club with distinction as a player, but has lasted just 18 months as head coach having been sacked on Monday.
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The former midfielder was facing enormous pressure to deliver this season after spending big in the summer, and the club sitting ninth in the Premier League after a run of only one win in their last five matches appeared to be enough for Roman Abramovich to wield his trusty axe.
Football doesn’t sit still for long, however, and not much time had passed after the news broke of Lampard’s departure that the ex-Derby County coach was linked as one of the favourites for the Celtic job.
Pressure is mounting on Neil Lennon in Glasgow, too, with hopes of winning ten Scottish titles in a row looking increasingly distant with Old Firm rivals Rangers now 23 points clear at the top of the table, and with the fallout from their controversial winter break in Dubai just making things worse.
Rafael Benitez remains the firm favourite to replace Lennon at Celtic Park, after the Champions League-winning coach ended his contract at Chinese Super League club Dalian Professional.
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Lampard has quickly become the third favourite for Celtic top job, where he would resume his rivalry from his playing days with Steven Gerrard in the dugout – with the Liverpool icon now Rangers boss.
But McCoist isn’t convinced, suggesting the ex-Chelsea coach will surely be aiming higher than the Scottish Premiership.
“I don’t think that would happen,” he told talkSPORT Breakfast host Laura Woods.
“I think he’d want to expand his managerial career in a bigger league, to be honest with you.
“I don’t think anybody can deny the fact the English Premier League is the biggest and probably the best league in the world.
“I might be wrong because, listen, Celtic are a massive football club and they have had some great managers, so it wouldn’t be the shock of the season.
“I’m looking at Frank and he’ll obviously want to regroup, he’ll be disappointed with what’s happened.
“Some managers with a lot of experience quite enjoy a break out and a well-earned rest, I’m not sure that Frank, in his youth in terms of being a manager, would want that.
“It’ll be interesting to see what happens next for him. I wouldn’t rule out a move to the continent.”
Reacting to the news on Monday morning, McCoist was stunned by Chelsea’s decision to sack Lampard.
The former Rangers striker and manager insisted the young coach needed more time to turn it around, with Lampard’s uncle Harry Redknapp saying the same on talkSPORT, and claimed it was the wrong call to give him the boot.
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He added: “Why would you get rid of him now, after he’s made the investment? It absolutely doesn’t make sense.
“I keep saying it, look at Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp – they gave him time, they gave him a few seasons to build his team and get the players in.
“These things don’t happen overnight, it doesn’t happen like that and everybody knows that, it’s common sense.
“It can’t be right, surely!”
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