Paolo Di Canio turned down the opportunity to manage Celtic in 2014, his former assistant has claimed.
The controversial Italian - who played for the Parkhead club in 1996 - was in the running to replace Neil Lennon in 2014 and he made himself available to the club's board.
Fabrizio Piccareta, Di Canio's number two at Sunderland and Swindon Town, insists Celtic made a "firm proposal" to the former West Ham United star.
But the offer allegedly came on the condition that Di Canio work with the coaching staff already in place, and for that reason Piccareta says he rejected it, with the post eventually going to Ronny Deila.
Piccareta recalled: "Paolo is a man who simply does not compromise. Let me give you an example.
"After we left Sunderland, he received a firm proposal from Celtic and he was offered the manager's job.
"But Celtic insisted they keep the staff that was there in place already in Glasgow.
"In order not to abandon me and the staff he worked with previously, Paolo refused the job offer.
"That speaks volumes about the man and it shows the human depth of the person.
"He now enjoys his work on TV as a pundit and I think he will continue along that path."
Di Canio, who netted 15 goals in 37 appearances for Celtic, has never managed again after his Sunderland axe and the 53-year-old is now a successful pundit in his homeland, while Piccareta has gone on to take on coaching roles at Sampdoria and Roma.
