Neil Lennon

The truth is that Lennon was actually fired a couple of weeks ago. Lawwell then hired Neil Lennon to come in as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

 

publicly condeming griffiths,announcing that people wanted to leave ,calling champions lazy and you think duffys wages is the problem.

 

I never said it was definitely the problem but not sure all these things you have stated are either.

It's not all gonna come out until later on if at all but something is rotten. It might be just a confidence thing mixed with this pandemic or it could be a complete break down between the manager player's.

 

No problem. There is no feeling of "juvenile glee" from me at all - I honestly believe that every person on this forum wants nothing but the best for the club (although tempers fray a bit at times).

I'm on the record on this forum as saying that I would be only too delighted to come on and eat a massive helping of humble pie if NL did turn it round.

I don't think he was never good enough to be Celtic manager (at the end of the day, you can only beat what's in front of you and he did deliver 3 league titles 2012 - 2014).

Where I clearly disagree was in bringing him back - he had effectively been sacked from 2 jobs when Rodgers left. At the end of the 2018/19 season, Rangers* beat us 2-0 and it should have been more and we were lucky to beat Hearts in the Final - he should have left then with his head held high.

Whether you like Rodgers or not - he moved the club forward massively. Both the club and football have moved on since 2014 and Lennon hasn't - he admitted when he came back that a lot of the sports science was new to him and that statement he made after Sparta that they don't usually analyse games was unbelievable.

His habit of throwing players under the bus is not new - he did it in his first tenure - we just didn't lose anywhere near as many games as we do now.

We have been going backwards for the last 18 months - embarrassing defeats in Europe, outplayed and outthought by Rangers in the last 3 meetings.

About 32 million has been spent on players since he returned so he can't say that he hasn't been backed.

We have been woeful for 90% of this season and all we've had from Lennon is unbelievable press conferences (where he talks about a different game that everyone else watched), blaming the players (or fans lately) and taking absolutely no responsibility himself.

I honestly don't see any evidence for believing that he will turn it round. We have played 22 competitive games this season and Lennon is still spouting the same old **** - when do you imagine this turnaround will happen?

I take no pleasure is seeing abuse levelled at him - my criticism is always professional and never personal. However, this season is a nightmare. I would much rather he did a deal with DD and walked away with some dignity.

The impression he is giving at the minute is that he is holding out for the sack and a payoff. I am personally disappointed as he must have made a lot of money and this is tainting his reputation at the club.

I think its a matter of time before he goes. Frankly, I don't think many people share your opinion of him as a manager - I guess time will tell - my guess is that he ends up with either a job at a real average Scottish club\English league 1 or as a BT pundit.

 

Fantastic post. Agree with every word.

Like you said, a bang average manager at best. It’s all well and good pointing out the trophies he’s won, and fair enough to him. But for two seasons in his first spell he had no competition in the league - and yet still had a 79 point season with 7 draws and 7 defeats which, let’s be honest here, is * dreadful. And his cup record was/is woeful, with a number of embarrassing defeats in Glasgow.

His first season or so we played some great football, but in that time we collapsed at Inverness and lost the title. Second season he clawed back a big points gap between us and the huns. To me, that fightback and the 2012/13 CL campaign are really the highlights of his first spell. Other than that it was all pretty forgettable, with a lot of dire football in his last couple of years.

His interim spell after Rodgers left we know about. Terrible football but aye he “got us over the line”. Last season was a mixed bag. Hard to argue with how few points we dropped in the league, and the EL group stage was excellent - but you have to caveat that with the bottle jobs against Cluj and Copenhagen, and the two performances against the huns in December. Yes we won 1, but they battered us that game.

And of course this season has been a trainwreck from start until now. Not one player has improved under his management since he returned. In fact I’d feel fairly confident in saying every single regular player has regressed over the last 18 months.

I’ve said before that I think this will be his last job in management. No half decent club would go near him, and I can’t see him having the energy or desire to take over at some diddy team down south or a Championship team up here.

 

Although we don't agree on everything, here, this is a decent post and there is a fair amount I can agree with you on. Thank you.

I'll answer you more substantially tomorrow.

 

Apparently already looking at January transfer targets - quoted in the Sun.

if you didn’t laugh, you’d cry.

 

He may come out with a BR quote “ I’ve never heard of the player or seen him”

 

TBH I'd be more worried if they weren't making plans for January but whether we get anybody that actually enhances the first team is a different story.

 

Only thing that might save the season if the board are not going to replace lenny then get rid of those that want out in jan, and give lenny some money to buy.Get the stink out of the team and get some in that want to be here.

 

"Already looking at January targets" makes me laugh. Doesn't matter how good the player we scout is, Neil Lennon managed to turn Callum Mcgregor into a bang average midfielder.

 

I half agree with you, but how long are we to give new signings to bed in? We need results in every single game from here on out, can’t be catering to some striker who’s just been trollied in from wherever.

 

Getting rid of our best players because they no longer wish to play for an incompetent manager and incompetent coaches is probably a bad idea, mate.

 

I don't really buy into all this bedding in talk. That's only really a recent thing that the club started doing, signing players then no one seen them near the team for weeks or months.

It use to be when we signed someone they were right in the team. Every signing in January should be improving the first team not the reserves.

 

Hopeful Neil Lennon has revealed work is well underway as Celtic look to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window.

The 49-year-old has confirmed that he’s assessing transfer targets to boost the squad in the wake of their recent wretched run.


Celtic added a host of big-name signings over the summer but the likes of Albian Ajeti , Vasilis Barkas and Shane Duffy have all struggled mightily to adapt to life in Glasgow.

But Lennon admits he and sporting director Nick Hammond are on the case ahead as they look to rejuvenate their flagging Ten In A Row title tilt.

He said: “We have identified areas where we want to add and we are working away in the background on that.

“Hopefully, we will get a bit of business done that will freshen things up and, hopefully, add a bit of quality to the squad.”

Lennon is planning to take Celtic away to a winter training camp after the January 2 clash with Rangers as he said: “We have a really heavy month coming up now.

There are a lot of games and it will be good, again, for the players to get a change of scenery after that.

“But, yeah, we are looking to just go away for five or six days for a bit of winter training.

“It’s not a winter break, but, hopefully, we can get some benefit from that.”

Celtic have a free midweek in a fortnight when the Betfred Cup quarter-finals take place which has opened an opportunity to take-in one of their games in hand against Aberdeen, who are also out of the competition.

But he said: “We would like to get the games played, but I think just at this stage with the amount of games we have adding another one to the calendar would probably be too much of an ask for the players.”


With Europa League qualification hopes now gone, there is a strong argument to suggest that Sunday’s Premiership match against St Johnstone carries more significance than tonight’s Italian contest.

But Lennon isn’t prepared to just cast it aside and instead hopes it can provide a springboard for his troops to begin a recovery of form.

He said: “I want us to perform and have that belief and energy and go to the San Siro with nothing to lose.


I want us to take the shackles off and play like we can.

“We are going to the San Siro, so it’s a game of great significance and we want to do the fixture justice and come away with a result.

“We will make a couple of changes from the weekend, but they won’t be wholesale.”










Neil Lennon admits he has been touched by the vast swathes of support that have swamped him during his current battles at Celtic.

The Parkhead manager is at the eye of the storm right now.



Lennon has had angry supporters outside the stadium holding up banners, screaming abuse and singing derogatory songs about him.

He’s had pundits and critics take aim at him and pull apart his ability to do the job. That has been front and centre during the past eight days. What has been in the background and delivered behind the scenes, however, has offered comfort to the under-siege boss.

Club chiefs Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell have his back and so do a host of managers past and present from across the football spectrum.

Lennon appreciates the support in a footballing and personal sense.

This current situation at Celtic would be tough for anyone to deal with.



For someone who has also had the strength to open up about living with depression and worked to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace, it could make it even tougher.

But while criticising his team’s performances or his workings in the past few weeks is fair game, no one can question his courage in coping through these difficult times.

Lennon said: “It’s been unbelievable the amount of support I’ve had, from people at the club, from supporters, from other managers too.

“It’s been amazing the amount of managers who have been in touch over the past couple of days.


Some of them have gone through similar circumstances. I’ve had great support from the players as well.

“The people at the League Managers Association who deal with this on a daily basis have also been in touch.

“It’s all been very touching and encouraging. I’m great. In my own mind, and my own physical well-being and mental well-being, I’m healthy as anything. And motivated at the minute to turn this around.

“I’ve got coping mechanisms now. I know how to deal with it. I’ve had it in varying times and spells in my life and my career. And there are no warning signs at the minute at all.


I’m living healthy, living good, quietly. I’m conscientious with my work too and trying to cover all the bases the best we can.

“I’m ticking all the right boxes and trying to motivate the players. It’s a results-driven business and results haven’t been what they should be for the quality of players we have. At the end of the day now it’s all about results.

“You have to bear that responsibility. You have to dig deep, ride it out and come again. And you need to enjoy it all, the good times and the bad times.”

Just because he’s coping doesn’t mean he’s not hurt by some of the abuse which has come his way. But he said: “I wouldn’t say the fans are spoiled. They have enjoyed the success as we all have, so maybe, like some of the players, this is all new to them and people react in different ways.

“Society at the minute isn’t in the best of health with massive restrictions and there are frustrations. People can’t get to the games to support their team and they really need their support at the minute.


That’s a big factor. The players are really missing their connection with the supporters.”

While he can’t fix that situation, he can sort other things and Lennon is occupied day and night repairing the current damage.

He has barely left Lennoxtown since Sunday’s defeat to Ross County, dissecting all aspects of the situation with assistants John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan trying to find solutions to the problems threatening to destroy Celtic’s season.

Lennon, whose team face AC Milan on Thursday, said: “I wouldn’t say it’s been sleepless nights but we’ve had long hours at the training ground just me and the backroom team looking at things.


Set-plays, body language, our style of play, the football things really. It’s a collective thing. When you go through a bit of a run like this, you analyse everything to the nth degree. And sometimes you can overthink it as well.

“Obviously it’s just getting back, maybe not to basics, but trying to keep it as simplified as we can and keep giving the players the confidence and belief they can come through this. And they can.

“Maybe some of them haven’t been through something like this before. We’re trying to not give them too much to think about.

"But obviously we are concerned with the results, the lack of goals and the set-plays and the penalties. We’re going through all of that as a backroom team and passing on little messages to the players.

“We know it’s not been good enough of late and there’s a bit of anxiety and confidence that needs to come back. But I don’t think we’re a million miles from getting it all back again.”




Celtic boss Neil Lennon reckons he’s still in charge because Dermot Desmond fully believes he can do the job - not because the majority shareholder refuses to bow to fan pressure.


And, although he admits he could have been sacked three days ago, the under-fire manager has told his detractors nothing matters more to him than having success at the club.



Lennon takes his team into tonight’s Europa League encounter against AC Milan knowing many supporters don’t want him in charge at the San Siro.

The 49-year-old faced angry demonstrations and protests following last weekend’s loss to Ross County, but remains in his post having been backed by Celtic hierarchy.


Lennon accepts he could have been removed following the County calamity and admitted: “I wasn’t expecting it, no. But I could have been.”

Dermot and chief executive Peter Lawwell stayed loyal to their man in the wake of fierce protests in the car park and the manager is convinced that’s down to footballing reasons.



Lennon continued: “I am very grateful. I’m grateful they gave me the opportunity the first time, and they’ve given me the opportunity again.


“You know, he [Desmond] bases his decisions on rationale, on values, on durability. He doesn’t make knee-* reactions either. And neither do the board.

It’s not a question of, ‘We’re keeping Lenny in the job in spite of everybody’.

“They’re keeping me in because they know I can do the job to the standards we set last year. They know what I’m capable of.

“We haven’t moved on from last season in terms of performances and results. Not every season is the same and we’re going through a difficult spell. Hopefully we can find that standard again this year.

“This club doesn’t sack managers just for the sake of it. They think about it deeply by looking at the philosophy.

“The board are being very, very patient with that as well and, from my point of view, that’s comforting.

“We talked about it on Friday and we’ve talked about it since then.”

Lennon admits that he was cut by some of the savage criticism and scenes outside the stadium following the County disaster, but made it clear he wants nothing more than to deliver again for the supporters.


He said: “It hurts and it’s disappointing. I mean, from my own point of view, nothing at this time in my life means more than success for the club and the supporters.

“That’s been my remit for the last 20 years. Myself, John Kennedy who has come through the ranks and loves the club as well, Woodsy [Stevie Woods] has been here a long time, Gav [Strachan] has just come in, but his father was the manager.

“So we are all indoctrinated into success for the club and the players are as well.

“I can empathise with the supporters. I can understand their frustrations at the minute.

“We do everything we can to turn things around very quickly, but it hurt a little bit, there’s no question.”

Some of Lennon’s players had missiles thrown at them during the fracas and a club statement released in the hours afterwards confirmed some of them were shaken by the disturbances.

The manager said: “I spoke with them. A few of them were shaken at the time, but they are alright now. They are fine and they are really determined.


I don’t know if you would say it’s another turning point, but they are really determined to put things right and get back to the levels they know they are capable of.

“I think just with the fervour and the anxiety going into the season and what it means to everyone at the club and, particularly, the supporters, I can understand some of the actions.

“But it doesn’t serve any good to the players and my backroom team as well.

“We were bitterly disappointed and devastated after the game, the players are just feeling it a little bit and they need to shake that off and put a run of games together, which they are more than capable of doing.”

 

Another * up... imagine the players reading that ...I think he should * his mouth.

 

"its been unbelievable the amount of support ive had" i cant quite believe it myself,i dont give a * who we sign in jan if this clown is in charge we wont win a thing

 

And loan out shved then look in desperate need of a winger. Sign players like Turnbull and not play them, stick with broony

 

Ah look it’s the players fault again. Lennon is ticking all the right boxes..... delusional

 

or maybe its just a * manager who continually blames the players when his bizzare formations ,player selections and subs and lack of a coherant gameplan cost us points.i have no doubt the griffiths thing played role in it as thats when the whole thing went pear shaped ,with suttons odd attack of griffiths leads me to believe hes been told something either way lennon shouldnt be whining to the media about anything in the dressing room