Two experienced and big name managers have had themselves ruled out of the running for the Celtic job this summer as the Parkhead chiefs way up who will take charge of the club ahead of next season.

Speaking to the Scottish Sun, the agents of both Andre Villas-Boas, formerly of Tottenham and Chelsea, and Roberto Martinez, the ex-Everton and current Belgium coach, have insisted that their clients will not be taking on the Hoops job.

Neil Lennon is currently in the dugout after Brendan Rodgers’ departure earlier in the campaign, the former Celtic man returning to Parkhead for his second stint as manager.

What has been said?

It was not one but two rejections for the Bhoys on Thursday, with the agent of Villas-Boas telling the Scottish Sun: “André will not be working in Scotland in the foreseeable future,” after Martinez’s representative had said: “Roberto always seems to be on the shortlist as soon as there is a vacancy at a big club. But this is a false rumour about him going to Celtic.”

While only those at the club know whether the duo were on the shortlist, it comes as a blow to the Hoops to be publicly rejected in such a stark fashion.

Having got either of the duo on board would have been a serious coup for the Celtic board and they say there is no smoke without fire – so could this be a sign of the club’s ambitions moving forward?

What next for Celtic?

If the Hoops want to move forward as a club, then the decision makers at Celtic Park have to avoid taking the easy way out in appointing Lennon long term.

He is something which represents the Bhoys’ past, not their future, and having names like Villas-Boas and Martinez linked to taking the helm in Glasgow would have got the Parkhead faithful seriously excited.

There is nothing more for the club to achieve domestically and the aspiration has to be to succeed in Europe – doing so requires a top class manager with experience and quality to sink their rivals on the continent.

Is Lennon that man? As much as he is a beloved individual at Celtic, no. Something new and exciting needs to happen at the club, and that starts with an ambitious new manager.