Even Sir Alex Ferguson would find my job difficult, says Tony Mowbray

• "I'm pretty sure Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger could find this job different from the one they're doing" Tony Mowbray

Mowbray has experienced mixed fortunes in his first six months at Celtic Park after succeeding Gordon Strachan in the post last summer. Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Rangers, which left his team trailing their great rivals by seven points in the SPL title race, was his 30th game in charge of Celtic. So far, Mowbray has presided over 14 victories and nine defeats and suffered elimination from the Champions League, Europa League and Co-operative Insurance Cup.

Speaking to Club TV, the monthly Old Firm magazine programme on BBC Alba which will be broadcast tonight at 10.30pm, Mowbray says: "I don't think anything prepares you for this job. I'm pretty sure Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger could come and do this job and find it different from the one they're doing."

Mowbray's attempt to overhaul Rangers in pursuit of the championship may well be shaped by the outcome of Celtic's business during the current transfer window. Speculation continues to surround several of Mowbray's current first team squad, with Australian striker Scott McDonald one of those persistently linked with a move away from Parkhead. The 26-year-old was relegated to the substitutes' bench on Sunday but came on to put Celtic ahead with his 14th goal of the season. McDonald's agent, Lou Sticca, has insisted he has no knowledge of any plans for the transfer of Celtic's leading scorer this month.

"I speak to Scott every day and, as far as I am concerned, he wants to be at Celtic," said Sticca. "I have also spoken regularly to (Celtic chief executive] Peter Lawwell and he has told me that Celtic are happy with Scott.

"If anything does happen, it will be Celtic telling Scott to leave, not Scott asking to go. What we are seeing here is the usual reaction if a club's top scorer is not playing. Scott is doing the business for Celtic, as his goals show."

Celtic sources, meanwhile, have poured cold water on any interest in Stoke City striker Dave Kitson. The 29-year-old, who joined Stoke from Reading in a 5.5million deal two years ago, has recently returned to the Potteries club following a loan spell at Middlesbrough and has been linked with a similar move to Celtic. Fifa regulations, however, prevent a player from playing for more than two clubs in one season. Kitson, it seems, is likely to be disappointed after publicly expressing his enthusiasm about the prospect of a move to Glasgow.

"Celtic is a club that I have always admired and hoped to get the chance to play for them at some point," said Kitson. "I have just come back from being on loan at Middlesbrough, where Gordon Strachan is the manager, and he only has fantastic things to say about Celtic, including how unbelievable the fans are.

"Obviously Stoke would need to be happy with any deal, but moving to Celtic would be a great opportunity. I am at a critical point in my career when I should be at my peak and I need to be playing. And, unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'm going to play too much at Stoke."

Olivier Giroud, the 23-year-old French striker currently playing for second tier club Tours in his homeland, is understood to be a firm target for Mowbray but Celtic face stiff competition for his signature from Monaco.