CELTIC-DAFT Rod Stewart phoned the club Board to tell them the ex-Hoops star HE thinks they should hire to take over as next team boss at Parkhead.
The wrinkly rocker called up chairman John Reid and co in a bid to convince them to land the mystery former player on Monday.
A string of names have been linked with the Hoops since Gordon Strachan’s departure, only for them to rule themselves out of the job.
Now frustrated chief executive Peter Lawwell’s Board are getting tips from the 64-year-old Maggie May singer who once let Celtic play in his garden.
But Stewart, who is one of only two people to have a seat for life at Celtic Park, yesterday refused to reveal in an interview just who his choice of manager would be – but insists his idea is being taken seriously.
He said: “I’ve actually just suggested someone to the Celtic board that they should look into.
“They’ve come back to me and said that’s a good idea.
“But I don’t want to get involved and put my foot into it and say who it is, but it’s an ex-Celtic player.”
Burnley boss Owen Coyle is said to be pondering the role while on a family holiday, while Swansea City’s Roberto Martinez is reported to have been offered more money to take the Wigan Athletic job.
Speaking on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 show, Stewart also said he still regards former gaffer Gordon Strachan as “a good friend” despite his missing out on the SPL title.
Stewart’s touring commitments and American gigging circuit mean he only lives in the UK three months of the year.
But he remains a lifelong Celtic fan, and in 2005 rescued the squad’s pre-season training plans when their pitch dried out in searing heat and became unplayable.
He invited Strachan’s squad to use his 180 acre garden in Essex, describing it as “a dream come true.”
He added: “My love of my life Celtic didn’t win the championship this year so I’m just about recovering from that disappointment, but we live on.”
DJ Steve Wright asked him: “Gordon Strachan is gone now, why don’t you put yourself forward for the manager’s job, Rod?
But Stewart dodged the question, simply saying: “Yeah, well Gordon was a good friend of mine.”
The Londoner left February’s Old Firm derby five minutes early so he could beat the Celtic Park rush in his limo.
