Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert has insisted he has no desire to take over at former club Celtic.

There’s a vacancy at Parkhead following the resignation of Neil Lennon, with the club 18 points behind bitter rivals Rangers at the top of the Scottish top flight.

Lambert has previously been mentioned in connection with the Celtic job, having made nearly 300 appearances for the club as a player and winning four league titles, but has always appeared a real outsider for the position.

He has now distanced himself from taking over from former team-mate Lennon, even if he did get the call at a time when Eddie Howe, Frank Lampard and Rafa Benitez lead the betting.

East Anglian Daily Times: Paul Lambert and Neil Lennon were long-time team-mates at CelticPaul Lambert and Neil Lennon were long-time team-mates at Celtic (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

"I played for eight years, but I left the Glasgow scene a long time ago,” he told Sky Sports News.

"That's not my life anymore. I don't want to tarnish the good feelings I have with the Celtic fans.

“We won a hell of a lot, stopping Rangers winning Ten In A Row in 1998. That was an incredible achievement.

"Maybe I'll go back as a fan, that's all I can say."

Lambert insisted whoever does take over from Lennon must hit the ground running.

“You have to realise, if you finish second, you fail," he said. “You have to get trophies back and get the pendulum swinging back your way.

"Nine years of dominance - they have to get that back. It doesn't matter who the next Celtic manager is.

"Whether it's a foreign manager or a British guy, you're hoping whoever goes in there understands how to win every week.

"Not to finish second. Not to be runners-up in cup finals. The criticism would come heavily, and so it should.

"It's a worldwide club. It's not a small club where you might get away with losing three and drawing two. You have to win every single week. That's on whoever comes in."