Norwich City boss Paul Lambert has ruled out returning to former club Celtic as manager in the near future - or at any time in his career. The former Hoops captain insists going back to Scottish football does not appeal to him and says that the SPL is not competitive enough.

Norwich City boss Paul Lambert has ruled out returning to former club Celtic as manager in the near future - or at any time in his career.

The former Hoops captain insists going back to Scottish football does not appeal to him and says that the SPL is not competitive enough.

The 40-year-old Lambert, who skippered Celtic in the 2003 UEFA Cup final and previously won the Champions League as a player with German club Borussia Dortmund, has been tipped as a possible successor to the under-pressure Tony Mowbray at Parkhead.

But the man in charge of the League One leaders is adamant he will not return to management north of the border.

He said: 'I had eight terrific years at Celtic but there comes a time when you have to cut your ties.

'I still look for Celtic's result and Seville will always remain the biggest disappointment in my football career. But the idea of coming back doesn't appeal to me.

'I mean no disrespect to Scottish football but England is just a bigger place. I'm proud of my Scottish heritage but a move back home is not for me.'

In the interview with Daily Record, he added: 'The idea of playing the same club anything from four to six times a season doesn't appeal to me.'

Lambert's previous SPL management experience was not a happy one.

In his first job as manager, at Livingston in 2005-06, he won just five matches, three of those in the Scottish League Cup.