Celtic confirm departure of manager Tony Mowbray

• Tony Mowbray's departure from Celtic was confirmed today

Celtic also confirmed the departure of assistant manager Mark Venus and first-team coach Peter Grant.

Neil Lennon has been named interim manager.

The departure comes in the wake of last night's humiliating 4-0 defeat to St Mirren, which left the Parkhead club 10 points behind Rangers in the Scottish Premier League.

It is believed Mowbray met chief executive Peter Lawwell at Celtic's Lennoxtown training ground today when the decision was taken to end his short tenure.

Among the names already being touted by bookmakers as favourites to replace Mowbray are Lennon, former Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert and ex-Man City boss Mark Hughes.

Mowbray had endured a torrid time since replacing Gordon Strachan as manager last June. Celtic have struggled to maintain pace with Rangers in the league, were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal and failed to progress beyond the group stages of the Europa League.

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Former Hibernian and West Brom manager Mowbray oversaw the departure of several established players including defender Gary Caldwell, midfielder Barry Robson and striker Scott McDonald, and approved the loaning of club captain Stephen McManus to Middlesbrough.

Despite paying out around 2million in compensation to West Brom for his services, Mowbray was not Celtic's first choice, with Owen Coyle turning the job down and Roberto Martinez also reportedly approached.

Celtic's SPL campaign began to collapse after they lost the first Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox. They tossed away leads in a series of games as defensive frailty began to undermine their title bid, while they also crashed out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup at home to Hearts.

By January, they were seven points adrift in the SPL and Mowbray set about dismantling the squad, bringing in eight new players during the transfer window.

The shock arrival of Robbie Keane on loan from Tottenham was greeted by thousands of jubilant fans on transfer deadline day. But the Republic of Ireland international's debut summed up Mowbray's reign, Celtic losing at Kilmarnock for the first time in nine years.

Keane's goals almost single-handedly won Celtic games in both the SPL and Active Nation Scottish Cup but he could not prevent them slipping 10 points behind Rangers following last month's third Old Firm derby of the season.

Despite the disaster at St Mirren last night, and perhaps predicting his imminent departure, Mowbray could not resist a dig at Rangers, telling BBC Scotland: "Rangers have been very consistent – they haven't lost four goals in any game.

"They set up differently – maybe that's the way to go.

"Maybe it isn't a league for trying to force the game and be expansive – maybe it is a league for playing defensive, negative football and having quality up front to counter-attack."