The Parkhead club, who had won every Premiership since 2012 and had been bidding to complete 10-In-A-Row this season, were held to a 0-0 draw by Dundee United in a league game at Tannadice this afternoon.

The result meant that Steven Gerrard’s men, who are 20 points clear with six games remaining, were crowned champions without kicking a ball.

Kennedy, who took charge on an interim basis when Neil Lennon resigned last month, admitted the outcome of the 2020/21 campaign had been bitterly disappointing.

However, he stressed the Scottish Cup holders, whose next game is against Rangers at Celtic Park a fortnight today, still had a great deal to play for in the final weeks of this term.

The caretaker also dismissed suggestions that a major overhaul of the football department is required at Celtic in the summer.

“Everyone’s disappointed, us as much as the fans,” he said. “It’s been a rough season and ultimately we have to face up to the fact we have not been good enough this year and Rangers have been better than us and that’s why Rangers have won the league.

“We’ve had such a long spell of dominance, not just in the league but other competitions as well and this is a setback for us. We can’t stand back and feel sorry for ourselves and think ‘oh well that’s gone’ we have to keep driving forward.

“There is the Scottish Cup to play for and for players in the squad it’s about moving forward to next year and the next challenge.”

Asked what has to happen for Celtic to recover, Kennedy added: “That’s a decision for the board and how they structure things and what they want to change, but ultimately it’s about having the core group there and adding to that and getting better and improving.

“I think there is always panic in these moments and it can be very emotional at times, especially in the city of Glasgow where it is always Celtic and Rangers, when one wins and the other doesn’t there is a setback and everyone gets so concerned by it.

“Yes, there have been concerns this year have to address, but massive overhauls don’t often work so we have to be stable in terms of the end of the season. We know what we have to fix and we have to make sure we fix it.”

Clubs traditionally give opposing teams a guard of honour when they take to the field after they have won the league - and Celtic will play Rangers at Parkhead in their next match on Sunday, March 21.

But Kennedy was only focused on Celtic’s display against United and their failure to convert any of the scoring opportunities they created in the final third. “I’m not interested in it right now to be honest,” he said.  

He added: “For the most part it was good in terms of the performance level, good energy and aggression in our play, good running off the ball.

“We created loads and loads of chances, the most we’ve probably created in a number of weeks. But ultimately you have to put the ball in the net so it’s disappointing.

 “That changes the game, that gives everyone that belief and confidence. They weren’t just half-chances there were a lot of big chances we should have taken. We could have put the game to bed at half-time probably.

“But we didn’t, Dundee United came into the game and it became very stretched at the end because we’ve thrown several attacking players on the pitch and had nothing to lose from having a go. We should have won the game.

“I think there was a bit of that and a wee bit of tension there so that when a chance comes you’re rushing things. We spoke about that at half-time but when you create that many chances in a game you have to win. We didn’t and we have to accept that and try to fix it and keep working through that.

 “It’s disappointing that we drew the game. That is a by-product of it. We just weren’t good enough. Our general play was good I can’t fault them for attitude and commitment that was absolutely spot on it was just that little bit of quality in the box.”

Kennedy, who is one of the contenders to replace Lennon permanently, felt the display encapsulated Celtic’s disappointing season.

“It’s not through the lack of trying or attitude and commitment from the players,” he said. “That’s been first class. Sometimes you go through rough moments and confidence plays a part in that in terms of a little bit more calmness in front of goal getting a better reward.

“We were a bit tense and when you don’t take three or four chances you start to think ‘here we go again’. We need to work through that and have that belief and confidence that you could have put the bed at half time but if you don’t you keep doing the same things the goals will come.”

Celtic winger James Forrest made his comeback after over five months on the sidelines when he came on for Scott Brown in the second-half.

“That was good,” said Kennedy. “James has trained well this last week and I was keen to get him involved, to get him a bit of game time, but also to get someone on the pitch who could eliminate in one v one situations.

“He could have done a bit of damage so it was good to see him back on the pitch he’s missed a long period of time so that was a positive.”