He's worked with Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon as an integral part of their backroom staff.

He's won 12 trophies as a coach and assistant manager at Celtic and a handful more as head coach of the Hoops' development side.

That's why Hibs are interested in handing John Kennedy his first crack at management in his own right.

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And it's why current Celts boss Lennon has issued a hands-off warning.

It's not often football managers have to do so for their backroom staff as opposed to their star players, but Lenny clearly felt the need to nip speculation in the bud at the risk of the ongoing chat potentially persuading Kennedy himself to consider it.

That's not to say that JK isn't already thinking about the option. He is, after all, a clever and free-thinking coach who has a big future in the game whether it's as a number one or a number two.

Lennon obviously will want to keep hold of Kennedy - at the very least to ensure he holds onto every part of the winning mentality and formula that has earned Celtic a treble Treble.

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You've got to admire Hibs' ambition. And their forward-thinking.

Kennedy clearly has the nous for coaching and management. It would be a shock if he never opts to go it alone and stand on his own two feet.

The question is: Will he ever be presented with an opportunity as big as the job at Easter Road?

Leeann Dempster must get the next boss right after Paul Heckingbottom's poor start to the Premiership season.

Her handling of the situation with Neil Lennon - where he was neither sacked, nor did he resign - was farcical.

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That's why this swoop for Kennedy would be a risk. A big one.

But the ex-Scotland international has experience working with some of Celtic's best managers in the last few years.

He was part of the backroom staff when the Bhoys beat Barcelona 2-1. He was a big part of the team which managed a famous victory over Lazio just last week.

He's helped his club win Old Firm games, Champions League clashes, nail-biting cup finals.

And he has contacts within the game to call upon when necessary.

He's worked with Lennon, Brendan Rodgers, Tony Mowbray, Gordon Strachan and Ronny Deila.

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Even during his playing career he starred alongside - and against - some of Scottish football's best.

Let's face it. Hibs are in desperate need of fresh ideas and a new outlook.

What they're doing now is not working. Their 4-1 weekend win aside, they've been dreadful for the majority of this campaign and need to change things around as soon as possible.

A new brand of football might suit them just fine and Kennedy may well be the man who can bring something different to the table.

In his boss Neil Lennon's own words, "I don't want him to go, but it doesn't surprise me because he's a superb coach.

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"It's a feather in John's cap if that's the case but as far as I'm concerned, he won't be going anywhere.

"He's an integral part of what we do."

If Kennedy is a vital cog in the Celtic machine, and the Hoops can go season's unbeaten and win title after title, Hibs could do much worse than to bring in a pure winner to give them a chance of catapulting up the table.