TWO Celtic heroes have emerged as potential candidates to be the next St Johnstone manager.
Craig Levein was sacked after four defeats from their opening five Premiership games – with three sending offs to boot.
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The poor start to the league campaign coupled with the worrying disciplinary trend led to Levein‘s undoing, with a 2-0 defeat away to Hibs proving the final straw for McDiarmid Park chiefs.
Levein guided Saints to safety last season but new American owner Adam Webb has opted for change by axing the 59-year-old with the club tenth in the table.
Coaches Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland will take the reigns for this weekend’s trip to the Highlands, where St Johnstone will take on early-season relegation rivals Ross County.
A Saints statement read: “The board of directors can announce that St Johnstone Football Club has today parted company with manager Craig Levein.
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“The football club would like to place on record its thanks to Craig for all of his efforts during his time at McDiarmid Park.
“A further update will follow in due course.”
In terms of the permanent role, former Celtic captain Scott Brown and current Hoops assistant coach John Kennedy have both been priced up as contenders.
But the early betting would suggest the Ayr United manager and Brendan Rodgers‘ No2 are outsiders for the post.
According to Gambling.com, high-flying Falkirk boss John McGlynn is the favourite to succeed Levein full-time.
The 62-year-old, who has previously managed Hearts, Livingston and Raith Rovers, is priced at 5/4.
Just behind him is Scot Gemmill, the man who has been in charge of the Scotland Under-21s since 2016.
The 53-year-old Nottingham Forest hero is of course the son of Scotland legend Archie Gemmill. He has never had a job in club management, having coached the Scotland Under-17 squad before stepping up to the 21s.
He is priced at 2/1.
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Just in behind him at 3/1 is ex-Hamilton, Norwich, Preston and Stoke City boss Alex Neil. The former Accies skipper had a brief spell as Sunderland manager before moving to Stoke but he was sacked by Potters chiefs 18 months later with a win ratio of one in three.
Other names on the list include Livi manager David Martindale, Cup-winning former Saints boss Callum Davidson and Billy McKinlay, who was assistant coach to David Moyes at West Ham for the past three years until Moyes’ dismissal in the summer.
But at 10/1 and 16/1 respectively are Kennedy and Brown.
They are the youngest candidates listed by the bookies, with Kennedy at 41 years of age and Brown at 39.
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