- guardian.co.uk, Thursday 28 January 2010 22.00 GMT
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray looks on through the rain at Parkhead during Celtic's 2–1 defeat by Hibernian. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA
Celtic will show their faith in Tony Mowbray by allowing the manager to sign a central defender and a striker before the transfer window closes on Monday. Mowbray is six months into his time at Parkhead and after last night's 2-1 home defeat by Hibernian his team are 10 points behind the Scottish Premier League leaders, Rangers.
Those close to Mowbray say there is no prospect of him resigning but Celtic's shortcomings in comparison to Rangers, whose financial problems have been well-publicised, will not have been lost on the club's board of directors or the majority shareholder, Dermot Desmond.
The fact that £2m was spent in compensation to take Mowbray from West Bromwich Albion in the summer will ensure his position is safe for now, as will a lack of obvious replacements. However, if Celtic's poor form continues Paul Lambert, who has taken Norwich City top of League One in England, will feature prominently in the minds of supporters.
Mowbray is concentrating on transfer business. Preston North End's Sean St Ledger is thought to be his main defensive target, with Celtic set to increase an initial offer of £2.5m for the Republic of Ireland player.
Middlesbrough are in negotiations to take the defender Stephen McManus on loan. Gordon Strachan is also willing to pay £3.5m for Scott McDonald and the full-back Danny Fox is considering an offer from Burnley.
Mowbray's record as Celtic manager is now worse than that of John Barnes, who was sacked a decade ago. Barnes took 44 points from 20 league games; Mowbray has three points less after one more game.
There was public support for Mowbray today today from Celtic's players. Darren O'Dea, who has temporarily inherited the captain's armband from McManus, said he and his team-mates backed their manager.
"That's not even in question," said O'Dea. "The manager has ideas for us and all the players are completely behind that. There is no doubting the effort here, but effort isn't enough at a club like Celtic. Players need to step up, be men and win games for the club because things are not going well."
