Former Partick manager Gerry Collins has claimed that Neil Lennon’s body language has suggested that he is going to leave Celtic at the end of the season.
Lennon was placed in temporary charge for the rest of the campaign when Brendan Rodgers joined Leicester last month, but there have been suggestions that the ex-Hibernian boss could get the full-time gig at Celtic Park if he impresses.
However Collins is not buying those claims, and he reckons that he can tell Lennon has already been told that he won’t be in charge past the end of this season.
“I watched Celtic against Aberdeen at Parkhead and everyone who knows Neil Lennon knows that he’s very passionate,” he told Rock Sport radio, as shown on their official Twitter account [12:03 onwards]. “I know he showed all the emotion in the celebrations at Dens Park but when I watch his body language, Lenny is not the same guy, not the same manager he was previously with Celtic.
“Lenny would kick every ball and he was contesting every bad decision, he was having a go at players. I don’t see that from Lenny now, I really don’t see it.
“He’s too relaxed for me, which makes me wonder, is Lenny in there until the end of the season?
“I might be 100 per cent wrong here, but I believe the way the body language is, his mannerism, he knows he’s there until the end of the [season].”
Tuesday's Talking Football with @BillRockSport and Gerry Collins https://t.co/hOkgZy7Ujg
— Rock Sport Radio (@RockSportDAB) March 19, 2019
OPINION
It would not be a shock if Lennon failed to get the full-time job as Celtic manager, but it would be harsh on him if he was to seal the club’s third domestic treble in a row, only to be replaced by someone else. Collins does have a bit of a point about Lennon’s mannerism, but he’s only been back in charge of the Hoops for a handful of games, and this idea that he is lacking passion will surely be rubbished when Rangers arrive at Celtic Park on March 31. Lennon is one of the most passionate managers out there, and his celebrations after the late win against Dundee showed that. It was perhaps more relief thana nything, but Lennon is not someone to bottle up his emotions just because he’s not going to be at Parkhead past this summer. Peter Lawwell has a tough job to decide who to hire as Rodgers’ permanent successor. If Lennon seals the treble then it would be very harsh to let him go. However there are managers out there who might be a better bit for the Hoops, who play better football and have more established records in Europe.