Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , treble winner Teddy Sheringham has turned his attention to the top of the Scottish game and a competitive Championship .
Sheringham has tipped Robbie Keane as a future Celtic manager, questioned whether the job would test Eddie Howe , and backed Scott Parker to lift West Ham .
The former striker has also named Portsmouth as promotion dark horses, weighed Will Lankshear 's England claims, and sent his best to Colchester United .
Celtic
Could Robbie Keane Be the Answer for Celtic if They Move On From Martin O'Neill?
I think Robbie Keane is very much in that mould to be a great Celtic manager someday. He's very professional in his manner and how he goes about his work, so I would tip Robbie as the next Celtic manager, but it might be a little bit early for him to go in straight away.
He's been around Europe and done his apprenticeship as a manager. Celtic could be a fantastic job for Robbie in the future.
Could Celtic Revisit Their Interest in Eddie Howe?
Celtic are a massive football club, and it's a fantastic job to go into, so you'd think a manager like Eddie Howe would be interested, but would it test him? I'm not sure. I don't know whether he needs to go there to get his next big job.
He's got some good vibes around his name from how well he did at Newcastle United , and he understands the game and what it's all about.
He's been a manager for a long time now despite his age. I think we might be waiting for another similar job to what he had at Newcastle rather than him going in at Celtic . You might say going from Newcastle to Manchester United would be a downward step at the moment, but I'm not sure Celtic is the right job for Eddie either.
The Championship
Can Scott Parker Give West Ham the Boost They Need After Nuno's Dismissal?
First of all, it's amazing how, when Nuno was at Nottingham Forest , everyone loved him; he connected with the fans, did really well, and they were gutted to see him go. Then he goes into West Ham ; things don't quite work out, and it's amazing how different it can be at different clubs.
It's going to be tough, but to put Scotty Parker in there, with Mark Noble gone in alongside him and West Ham people back involved at the club, it could be brilliant.
Are Portsmouth Dark Horses in the Promotion Race?
I do see Portsmouth as dark horses for promotion this year. When you have a manager who's been at a club for a few years now, like John Mousinho at Portsmouth , they get an understanding, they get a bit of backing, and this belief grows that everything's going the right way and everybody's pulling together.
It's looking good for Portsmouth ; I've been really impressed by them.
Who Else Are Contenders for Promotion?
You've still got to put West Ham in that category. You'd like to think they'll come on strong, but it won't be as easy as that, and there will be a big difference from the way Nuno played to the way Scotty is going to want them playing, so the players have to get their heads around that first.
I know Swansea City have had a wobble, but I think they'll still be up there, and you've got Birmingham City and Stoke City too; it's all about putting that run together at the right time.
There are clubs in the Championship that can be out of it right up until midway through February, and then all of a sudden they come with a charge, winning ten games out of twelve, and suddenly they're in the play-offs or right into those automatic spots.
Were You Disappointed Will Lankshear Didn't Get an England Call-Up?
It's very unusual for the England manager to call up a player from the Championship .
I think the last one called up from the division below was Steve Bull . Jarrod Bowen 's not in the squad, is he? You've got to be an unbelievable player to make that jump, and if Will Lankshear carries on doing what he's doing, if he can keep it up for the next fifteen games, then you've got to be asking the question; long may it continue for him and Middlesbrough . Can they keep hold of him in January? It's early days.
He's had a great start to his career, and I know what it's like to score goals in the Championship . If you're playing week in, week out, you're on a roll, and you want to play every day. He'll be loving it at Middlesbrough , loving scoring goals.
Down the Divisions
Are You Worried for Colchester United This Season?
It's tough down there in League Two , and once you're down there it's a tough place to get out of. It seems like you get a result and everyone else around you gets a result too. It's like a sticky sandpit, that quicksand that's hard to get out of.
But you never know; they've had good results before, so I wish them luck in getting out of it, and their chairman as well, who I was involved with when I was there. At least in the Cowley brothers, you know they've got the experience to find a way forward.
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