Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer has lifted the lid on talks with new manager Neil Lennon by revealing that he is really positive about his plans.
The Northern Irish boss took over from fellow countryman Brendan Rodgers after the latter decided to jump ship for Leicester City and has overseen two wins in his first two games in charge.
Revealing that Lennon had chosen to talk behind-the-scenes with a number of his squad, Ajer admitted that the chat about the future had been a good one and that the man in the dugout is looking to give everyone a chance at Parkhead.
The defender told the Daily Record: “I had a really nice chat with him earlier this week when he told me what he was thinking and what his plans were, so it’s been a really good week.
“He did that with a few of the boys. He’s talked with a few of the players to get an understanding of them and learn more from them and for us to learn more from him.
“In any club when there’s a change of manager, there’s always a bit of excitement in terms of who is going to play and who gets a chance. He’ll give everyone an opportunity and now we have to perform in training and matches. The gaffer has come in and really helped us in terms of looking forward.”
Opinion
Lennon is obviously a former Celtic manager but not everyone in that dressing room will know him and his methods and so it is important for him to get a handle on his squad. It seems as though he has been saying the right things on the training ground and behind closed doors if Ajer’s reaction is anything to go by and at the end of the day this is a manager fighting for a potential long-term future at the club. Regardless of whether he remains though, the majority of players will still be there after summer and as such it is important for the current man in charge to ensure that there are plans laid out for them not only until the end of the season but beyond that. Lennon appears to be doing just that and it proves that Celtic are in safe hands – not that there was any doubting that when he did take over from Rodgers.