PETER LOVENKRANDS has admitted a real fear of his fellow-Dane Jens Bergel Askou taking charge of Celtic.
The Motherwell manager has earned accolades for what he has achieved at Fir Park and has been linked with the Parkhead post which will become vacant at the end of the season when Martin O’Neill completes his second interim period.
Former Ibrox winger Lovenkrands has seen Askou close up and reckons he would be the perfect fit for the champions.
The Well gaffer enhanced his CV in late December when his team completely outplayed the Hoops on their way to a 2-0 home victory.
THUMB’S UP…Jens Berthel Askou is pleased with what he is witnessing in Motherwell’s 2-0 win over Celtic at Fir Park in December.
It was the woeful Wilfried Nancy’s fifth defeat in seven games during his catastrophic mercifully brief spell at the club and five days later, following a 3-1 derby loss at Parkhead, the Frenchman was sent packing.
Before the Premiership split, Askou has already surpassed Well’s points total for last season and his team have conceded the fewest goals in the top flight.
Lovenkrands, 46, said: “He’s like flavour of the season. It’s incredible what he’s done. They play the best football in the league.
“I’d be very surprised if I don’t see him at Celtic next year. By that I mean he’s the perfect fit for them at the moment.
“He knows the league, he’s been here, he knows what it’s like, what he does and how to do it.
“Imagine him doing that with a bigger budget, different players.
A MAN ALONE…Wilfried Nancy watches as Celtic lose the fifth game of seven during his disastrous 33 days in charge at Parkhead.
“I think it suits him perfectly plus I don’t think he would cost that much to get from Motherwell.
“If he’s going to go down to England and does well, you can forget about trying to get him up afterwards money-wise.
“I’d be very surprised if Celtic haven’t gone and got him in the summer.”
The 22 times-capped winger, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “He’s been at FC Copenhagen so he knows what it’s like.
“When you see him and speak to him, he’s very calm. Sometimes you just don’t know if he’s joking. It’s a wee bit difficult to figure out!
“But he has that mentality and I wouldn’t be worried about that at all.
“On a personal note, I actually wouldn’t want to see him there!
“It would make them really strong potentially next season, so it’s a wee bit like ‘Oh no’.
“But it makes sense. If somebody’s been there, instead of trying to go and get a manager from somewhere else who doesn’t know what it takes in the league, you have someone here who has proven he can do it with a smaller team and a budget, then why not?
“He’s right there in front of your nose, so it would make sense if they did do that.”
FIR PARK AGONY…Wilfried Nancy looks down as James Forrest, Colby Donovan and Viljami Sinisalo can’t his their disappointment after Celtic’s 2-0 defeat against Motherwell.
Former Norwich City defender Askou won the Faroese league as manager of Havnar Boltfelag before moving on to Danish side Horsens, IFK Gothenborg in Sweden and spells as assistant at Sparta Prague and FC Copenhagen.
Nancy cost Celtic TWELVE precious league points and a domestic Cup because he couldn’t alter his methods to suit the strengths of the individuals in his squad, but that would not have been a problem for Askou.
Lovenkrands added: “You can only play a certain style if you have the players to do it and if you don’t then you need to adapt.
“He’s come in here, he’s got the players he needed and he can play the style of football he wants.
“I find it extraordinary. I’m really amazed that he’s done it like that.”
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