Neil Lennon's resignation came as a surprise to nobody this morning.

The now former Hoops boss has been under serious scrutiny this season for some really poor results and the thin ice he had been skating on finally cracked.

The board now must look to appoint a new manager after Lennon's assistant John Kennedy was given the job on an interim basis for now.

But who do they look to bring in? Someone with experience in Scottish football? An ex-footballer at Parkhead? Fresh eyes entirely?

It has to be Eddie Howe, writes Mark Hendry

Celtic, without question, must get their next managerial appointment right.

Sticking with John Kennedy until the end of the season is a discussion for another day. But unless he can somehow win every single game - including both Rangers clashes - until the end of the season, I don't see how he keeps the role beyond the summer.

Neil Lennon is the epitome of a 'Celtic man', Kennedy is too. Brendan Rodgers was a 'Celtic man'. But perhaps this time round, a manager who doesn't necessarily meet the 'Celtic man criteria could be what the Hoops are after. Someone with a fresh pair of eyes, who can go into the role without any pre-conceived ideas. Lennon stuck with his tried-and-tested, he was loyal to the likes of an ageing Scott Brown and an out-of-sorts Callum McGregor.

READ MORE: Neil Lennon breaks silence after resigning as Celtic boss following 'frustrating' season

Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming Brown and McGregor for the club's failures, but it certainly couldn't hurt to have a new man in charge who owes nothing to his new players.

Fans have been left furious this season with the results and season ticket renewals are coming up. That's why the Hoops hierarchy must push the boat out for their next man. And while I think Rafa Benitez would be a very decent appointment, I doubt he'd take it. Former Bournemouth head coach Eddie Howe, on the other hand, could be a masterstroke.

The Englishman is young and enjoys a challenge. He likes having a long-term project and Celtic are just that. They have a strong youth structure in place with some serious prospects and Howe loves improving football players. The first-team, though expecting to lose some of their top stars, still have plenty of talent within the ranks. And they'd only get better under Howe.

Don't forget, this is a man who took the Cherries from League One to the Premier League. Then there's the personal challenge Howe will enjoy, trying to wrestle the Premiership title away from a very strong Rangers side led by Steven Gerrard.

There are other realistic options like Steve Clarke. There are pie-in-the-sky shouts like Thierry Henry. But, for me, it should be Howe who is at least approached first.

Think outside the box and give Shaun Maloney a shot, writes James Cairney

I think Celtic will need to look beyond Scotland’s shores for Neil Lennon’s permanent successor at Parkhead. There are a few up-and-coming managers who look to have a bright future in the game (Jack Ross and Jim Goodwin come to mind) but at this stage of their careers, I think they still have a bit more to prove before they can be handed the reins in Glasgow’s east end.

Personally, I reckon Celtic could do a lot worse than turning to Shaun Maloney. He is highly thought of in coaching circles and while prising him away from the Belgium staff could be tricky - and he might not even be available until after the Euros - he ticks a lot of boxes for me.

READ MORE: In detail: Neil Lennon's disaster Celtic season from dismal results to explosive Dubai presser and flop signings

He’s very, very familiar with some of the coaches at Celtic (like his old team-mates John Kennedy and Stephen McManus) and has been working with top quality footballers at the highest level of the international game. For Celtic, a team who have vastly underperformed in Europe for years now, Maloney’s experience could prove invaluable.

His time with Belgium means he is used to preparing for high-pressure one-off games against opponents of a similar or superior stature - in my opinion, Lennon’s inability to do so was one of his biggest failures. Additionally, Maloney’s time working on the continent will have given him new, different ideas about how the game should be played. A little bit of innovation could go a long way at Celtic Park.

Some supporters might feel uneasy at giving a relatively untested coach such a big job in his first full-time management gig but it’s worth remembering that Steven Gerrard was appointed at Rangers from a similar situation. It worked for the Ibrox club - and it might just work for Celtic, too.

It’s a gamble, sure, but when I look at the realistic candidates available for the job, it’s clear that there’s no outstanding or blindingly obvious man to turn to. I think a younger coach with fresh ideas is required to oversee the summer rebuild, and Celtic could do a lot worse than turning to Maloney.