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News
Damien Duff says Celtic have an ‘absolutely frightening’, world-class asset on their books
Damien Duff has described Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy as “absolutely frightening” and one of the best coaches in the world, in conversation with .
Kennedy came through the ranks at Parkhead as a player, but injuries sadly limited him to for the Bhoys.
The 36-year-old, who also took in a loan spell at Norwich City, eventually retired aged just 26 on medical grounds, but became a first-team scout for Celtic in 2010.
Since then, Kennedy has worked his way up the coaching ranks with the Hoops, being promoted to assistant manager when Neil Lennon became manager again last year.
With Kennedy in their coaching ranks, Celtic have reached nine Scottish Premiership title triumphs in a row, as well as sealing three domestic trebles in a row between 2017 and 2019.
Duff, who spent 15 months at Parkhead and has worked with some of the top coaches in world football including Jose Mourinho, couldn’t sing his former colleague’s praises highly enough.
“John Kennedy is without doubt one of the best coaches in the world,” Duff told Si Ferry on . “I sound like his agent now, I don’t think that clubs outside realise how good he is. Absolutely frightening. Just so good.”
When asked why he rated Kennedy so highly, Duff replied: “It comes down to detail, his detail is second to none, I’ve never seen detail like it… John doesn’t miss a trick. He sees the problem, how are we going to fix it? absolutely frightening. Like I said they’d be lost without him.
“Him and the gaffer, the gaffer is the best man around up there. I worked a lot with John, spent a lot of time late into the night watching games. I guess that I would have built a nice bond with him. Listen I sound like his agent, clubs are going to be chasing him but like I said he is too class.”
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While it’s such a shame that injury issues curtailed Kennedy’s career, he has taken that same class to coaching level, working his way up the ranks at Celtic to become assistant manager, delivering unprecedented glory at Parkhead and now sitting on the edge of immortality if ten in a row is achieved.
Duff’s comments on him are praise of the highest order and surely it won’t be long before Kennedy becomes manager – though whether that’ll be with the Hoops or elsewhere remains to be seen.