Eddie Howe to Celtic domino effect caused Midtjylland flop as Michael Stewart pinpoints timeline misstep
Michael Stewart reckons the delay in appointing Ange Postecoglou led to the early Champions League exit.
Celtic's pursuit of Eddie Howe has led to their failure in the Champions League insists pundit Michael Stewart.
Howe was top of the Parkhead chiefs managerial wishlist as they launched a long chase for the former Bournemouth boss as Neil Lennon's successor.
That all came to a screeching halt leaving Ange Postecoglou as the alternative, four months after Lennon walked away from the hot seat.
Amid managerial switches, there has also been the arrival of Dominic McKay and departure of Peter Lawwell and head of football operations Nick Hammond.
Stewart insists delaying the major overhaul in structure at the club around Howe has been a massive misstep.
READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE as Rangers and Celtic plus Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs eye signingsThe pundit reckons it has been a reacquiring problem at the club after repeated failed bids to reach the group stage.
He reckons the Australian should have been brought in from Yokohama F. Marinos as soon as his predecessor Lennon left Celtic, rather than the Howe back and forth.
He told Premier Sports: “You look at the Cluj one for example. Even though they performed well in the group stages, too often they don’t get the business done that they need to for these games.
"Big games that come along early, they’re lacking.
“You think of the number of years they’ve gone into huge European ties with a centre-back pairing that simply isn’t good enough. In previous years it’s slightly different.
"This season they didn’t get the structure in place to actually enable them to go and get the deals done.
“Ange Postecoglou could’ve been in this job in February or March.
"They could’ve brought him in, had a free hit in the last few months of the season, whilst getting in place the targets needed to strengthen the team.”
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