Caldwell keeps Hoops in the loop over Coyle

Celtic’s players know all about the exploits of Owen Coyle at Burnley – thanks to defender Gary Caldwell.

Coyle is now the overwhelming favourite to succeed Gordon Strachan in the managerial hotseat at Parkhead, amid reports he has already held talks with chief executive Peter Lawwell.

But the Clarets boss last night denied claims he will be in situ before the end of the week.

Coyle, who has just led Burnley into the top flight of English football for the first time in 33 years, stopped short of ruling himself out of contention altogether.

But the 42-year-old former St Johnstone manager was adamant he would still be in charge at Turf Moor this weekend.

“There has been no approach to Burnley Football Club,” Coyle told his club’s official website, www.burnleyfc.com, echoing an earlier statement from the Premier League new boys.

“It is people simply putting two and two together and making five.

“I am going on holiday with my family this weekend and I can assure you I will be doing so as Burnley manager.”

Coyle held talks with the Burnley board yesterday over an improved contract in a meeting arranged before the vacancy at Parkhead arose.

Whether that is enough to keep him out of the clutches of Celtic – Coyle’s boyhood idols – remains to be seen.

But were he to accept an invitation to succeed Strachan he would inherit a squad who are already extremely impressed by what they have seen.

“He’s done a fantastic job,” striker Scott McDonald said of Coyle, who manages Caldwell’s brother Steven at Turf Moor.

“We’ve kept a close eye on Burnley this year as well because Gaz Caldwell’s brother plays for them, so we’ve been hearing about Burnley for the last 12 months.

“We’ve seen a lot of them on TV and they’ve played some great stuff at times.

“It’s not for me to comment on who’s going to be the next manager – it’s not my decision. I’ll just be happy to pull on the Hoops again next year and work as hard as I can for whoever that is.”

McDonald believes whoever eventually takes over will have a hard act to follow in Strachan, who stepped down on Monday after failing to win a fourth straight Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

Prior to that, the former Coventry and Southampton boss had won the SPL every season since his appointment four years ago.

McDonald said: “There’s an expectation there and I’m sure whoever the manager will be – as the players are – will be expected to go out and perform and win everything that is possible next season.”

Despite his success, Strachan had his critics but McDonald is not one of them.

“All I can say is that I enjoyed every single minute of playing underneath him and I’ve learned a lot since I came to this club,” said the Australia international, who has finished the club’s top scorer in the two seasons since joining from Motherwell.

Celtic’s season may be officially over but their players have one more engagement: Sunday’s Tommy Burns Tribute Match, organised to commemorate the life of the former Parkhead player and manager, who lost his battle with cancer a year ago.

McDonald said: “There’s quite a few of us who have held back international duty just to play in this and obviously we want a huge turnout and hopefully it will be a great day, an enjoyable day, to celebrate the life of Tommy Burns.

“What better way to do it than at his favourite place: Paradise.”