There are currently four managers in the Premier League that share a common background. Malky Mackay, Paul Lambert, David Moyes and Paulo Di Canio all played for Glasgow Celtic. The four managers have come through the managerial ranks at different levels but have all ended up in Europe’s top league. Is it time for another Celtic great to make the move?
Celtic fans have already gone through the loss of Victor Wanyama and Gary Hopper, two men who were at the heart of the clubs historic Champions League campaign. Behind this team last season was a young manager learning his craft at the very highest level. Celtic fans must know the day is coming when a side will decide to take a look at Lennon. The former Northern Ireland international has just signed an extension but this is only a one year deal, so contractually he is not handcuffed to the club but perhaps for the Celtic faithful they should question why the club hasn’t tried to sign up the Parkhead gaffer for the long term.
Qualification into the group stages yet again boosts his value as a true up and coming coach that has the ability and potential to rise to the top. The Glasgow giants are not big spenders but Lennon gets the best out of this squad. And in a way similar to Moyes who worked wonders on a shoestring budget at Everton, many believe if Lennon had the tools at his disposal he could do a lot more.
Lennon has over the years developed the ability to be a winner; he has passion for the game and getting the results. His experience in winning as a player has severed him well moving into the managerial realms and that has paid off with continuing that winning habit. He knows how to win games, and it shows against all levels of competition. Unlike all of the other ex-celts, he is the only manager with proven European experience. This alone might be the one thing that stands out for him over other up and coming managers.
It is Celtic’s worst nightmare but a team in the Premiership will take that gamble. One team that may make it happen is Sunderland. Di Canio’s early season form doesn’t make his future seem to bright and there are already speculations that he’ll be out of the job within a few months. The hot headed Italian has the passion levels similar to Lennon, but where Di Canio seems to go off the rails and go after his own players; Lennon does the opposite and brings his players on during the tough patches.
No matter what club has a need, when they come calling surely it will be too difficult for Lennon to say no. His handful of European games each year is really no comparison for the 38 games in the Premier League. If Lennon can do another number on one of the big boys in this season’s Champions League then he might become the hottest young manager out there.
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Don’t get me wrong, I think lennons been great for us at Celtic but his selections are questionable at times. He loves the media attention so he probably would leave in a big media frenzy of “who will get the job?” if one of these inflated English clubs come looking.
Good article. I’m sure there will be plenty of watching eyes from England and the Continent watching Neil’s fantastic efforts with Celtic in Europe and taking note. Ok, so he doesn’t have much strong competition in Scotland but he performed a minor miracle in getting Celtic to the last 16 last season.
It could well be a case of we don’t know how good we have it until it is gone……
It’s not a 1 year deal Neil Lennon has, it’s a 1 year rolling contract, which essentially means that it never ends unless the manager or Celtic decide to end it at the cost of 1 year’s salary in compensation to either side. Also, it was Gary Hooper, not Gary Hopper!
While there is not much doubt that Lennon is wanted and closely watched by many EPL clubs, you are kidding yourself by mentioning “38” games in an EPL season. The facts are the EPL is not nearly as good as it was ten years ago, nor is it getting better. The facts are there are four maybe five teams of real quality in England, the others not exactly earth shattering clubs.
This translates to ten games in a season which excites a manager, unless you are in charge at one fthem, then it comes down to eight.
The EPL, regardless of how much you try to convince yourself otherwise, is a mediocre league outside of the top four or five, and the others make up numbers.
He has been on a one year rolling contract since he became full time manager, previously we had our hands burnt putting Tony Mowbray on a long term contract and he only lasted 9 month then had to put him on gardening leave at a heavy loss, so this is our board learning from previous mistakes.
Personally I can see this being NL’s last season in charge of the Hoops but can I see him going to one of the Top 4 maybe 6 clubs in the Epl? IMO that would be a No, so why go to any other club where no Champions League football is on offer. Other than the money on offer I can’t see any other reason why he would go to the Epl.
As a Celtic fan I had a giggle at that. Neil lennon and the team is punching above its weight. Yes he has won trophies, yes he has done well in Europe. BUT if a club in England employed him and he had decent money to spend, he wouldnt know what to do! He doesn scout the players and wouldnt know what to do with regards to attacking football. If a club wants to defend, protect its finances then Neil Lennon is the man THE BOARD will want!!!!
This is laughable. Do you really think Neil Lennon, a Celtic man through and through would leave Parkhead for Sunderland when his team is playing so brilliantly with repeated exposure to the champions league?! Maybe for a top 6 side, or a team of real ambition like Southampton who are willing to force their way to the top of the table, but not a club mired in mediocrity like the Wearside club.
To be honest mate, the pressure of being the Celtic manager is very tough on Lennon. He has been very up front about this. I think if anything makes him leave, it’ll be us (the supporter’s) giving him abuse non stop.
I hope he stays n I think he will for another couple of years. He said so himself last season when there was interest in him that he’s still learning his trade and is lucky to have such a great team like Celtic to offer him his a workshop (I’m paraphrasing) ???? but something down those lines.
Hail Hail
Why would u want to go there man u over the years could only test themselfs in about 6 games of the season the rest are over paid pish . Last year Celtic played 12 high profile games in e Europe that Neil’s real target not pishy stoke
He didn’t sign an extension, he’s on a one year rolling contract.
He’s also made some terrible signings, his tactics and team selection can be baffling and he faces almost no competition in the domestic league – yes last year in Europe was great for us, but before that Celtic had performed poorly under Lennon in the cup competitions, often losing to poor teams unexpectedly.
Agree with the other comments about the EPL – 10 games a season against big teams, 28 against Crystal Palace, West Brom, Hull and similar…So not much different to the 8 CL games Celtic played last year.
Look at teams like Blackburn, Bolton, QPR, Reading, Blackpool, Burnley and Wigan who were all in the EPL when we were getting told it was brilliant. It’s full of dross!
Agree totallly the EPL league is boring and dross outwith the top 3 or 4 teams
Neil , like everybody else. Will answer when the money comes calling. If some bottom third club in England or anywhere else for that matter offer Lennon e.g. Three times his present salary he will be off. And who could blame him. Not you or I. And he like so many before him will just have to love Celtic from afar. HH.
ThisisDrivel.
Poor article. half full stadiums and a relegation battle or winning a 3rd scuddetto on the spin and another crack at the last 16? Which will Lenny choose??
By managing us he’s going up against the best teams in the world….better than the premiership has to offer. How many times will sunderland play Barca Ac Milan etc over the next few years? Money can’t buy you everything England!
”His handful of European games each year is really no comparison for the 38 games in the Premier League.” What absolute garbage. What fool even wrote this tosh. The author of the article is clearly a fan of one of those mighty English teams that don’t have a hope in hell of playing European football, ergo they big up their league status just to feel like they are one of the big boys, when in fact they will never be a patched on our bhoys!!! COYBIG
This is a nothing article, clubs were linked with him last season from the EPL and Lennon didn’t bite. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes in football as in any other walk of life and if Lennon let it be known that he wanted to move then he would have gotten a move. This article has obviously been written by someone who has never been to Celtic Park or knows anything about the history of the club and is too wrapped up in that sugar coated blanket that is the EPL. Celtic are a huge club, bigger than most in England, they have a huge following world wide and he is well taken taken care of financially and sometimes there are things in life that money can’t buy and likewise there are people who are smart enough to realise that, Neil Lennon is a smart guy.
see ya neilly
see ya neilly