Former Celtic striker Alan McInally is not convinced the Hoops will move for Eddie Howe as manager if they decide to part ways with Neil Lennon.

The ex-Bournemouth manager has been linked with the manager's job at Parkhead, with bookies even having him in as short as a 4/9 odds-on favourite. 

Defiant Lennon still believes he is the man for the job, however, and recently club chief Peter Lawwell also publicly backed the Northern Irishman and urged fans to do the same despite sitting 21 points behind rivals Rangers.

McInally, though, isn't so sure Howe would be the Hoops' choice if they did opt to find a new manager - though the Englishman might find it difficult to turn down if they did. Speaking to Footy Accumulators the Sky Sports pundit said: "No, I don’t think Celtic will go for Eddie Howe.

"Would Eddie Howe take the Celtic job? I remember Gordon Strachan telling me ‘When Celtic ask you to be the manager of the football club, then it is not a job you can say no to, you say yes’. I wonder whether he would actually be asked to take the job in the first place.

 "That will be an interesting one."

Lennon has been tipped to remain manager at Parkhead until at least the end of the season with the board expected to complete an evaluation this month on his future.