Neil Lennon: debate over when he should eventually leave the post of Celtic manager

Having read this article on Celtic Journal from Kieran Caw, who I believe is a member of this forum:

http://celticjournal.org/3651/its-time-to-go/

I thought this could be an interesting debate, apologies if it's been discussed in other threads.

There's so much I could say with regards to Lenny's time as Celtic manager; on and off the park, mixed cup results and mixed results in Europe, league situation with huns and without huns, shrewd signings and failed strikers since 2010, your take on our style of football et al.

From Braga 0-3 to Barcelona 2-1. From Ross County 0-2 to Rangers 3-0. From St Mirren 2-3 to Spartak Moscow 3-2. From Morton 0-1 to Milan 0-3 on Tuesday night

Whatever your point of view, he has been a successful manager and context must be taken into consideration regarding who he succeeded and the shambles we were in following a 4-0 hammering to St Mirren in March 2010. But with rare exceptions, every manager has a shelf life. The question ultimately is: when do you realistically want to see him leave? By all means debate all issues that you seek fit but I think this would be a fair analysis of any year people have in mind.

Winter 2013 = You think his position is untenable because of the elimination from Europe with a game to spare this week, perhaps you would feel more strongly so if we lose to Hearts on Sunday ergo our season being effectively over for the final 6 months. Maybe you want a new manager in and believe he - speaking of which any suggestions as his replacement are fine but this is primarily about Lennon himself - needs time to bed himself into the club instead of next summer.

Summer 2014 = You want him to win 3IAR, ideally bow out with a double, but then appoint a new manager and presumably a different ethos be implemented with one more final competition-less season before Sevco - unless they implode sooner than some anticipate - are promoted to the top division.

Summer 2015 = You think he deserves one more year after the 2013/14 season and should allow him to bow out as the first Celtic manager since Jock Stein to win 4IAR - especially with improved backing from the board and to rectify this season's Champions League failings.

Summer 2016 = You want him to become the longest serving Celtic manager, if you don't combine McNeill's 2 separate reigns in charge, since Jock Stein. Also you want him to bow out with 5IAR and to be the first Celtic manager to see off a potential title threat from the newco huns.

Summer 2017 or onwards = You simply want him hear for as long as possible and genuinely believe he can be in control for a Wenger, or dare I say Ferguson, type length in charge.

 

Might as well have the first post in my own thread.

I think the summer of 2015 is about right. Wins 4IAR and hopefully can improve the side enough to gain better results in next season's Champions League campaign, while trying to implement a better brand of football throughout the team, but the board must back him.

 

Expect to see this thread awash with "oh but if he leaves who are we gonna get?" - or something similar.....

 

Might as well have asked us to predict the future. Say he wins the Champions League next year he can stay as long as he * well wants. I'm just going to assume it's on the basis we do as well as we have been under Neil and say 2017 onwards

 

It would also give a new manager a year to find his feet, before Rangers return to the top division. They don't look like much of a threat, at the minute, but they'll probably start plucking money off trees again and going mad to improve their team.

Saying that, I am not really in favour of replacing Neil. I don't think we would see much of an improvement, if any.

 

Once we do 10 in a row and he has cemented his place in Celtic folklore.

 

2102

 

When he retires

 

What side of the fence are you on? When would you like him to leave?

I am not being sarky or that btw, when it comes to the management - I enjoy reading your thoughts.

 

If he has plans to leave in the near future (1-2 years) i would want him to leave in January just so the new manager can make the team gel for the upcoming CL qualifiers.

I like Lenny and would not mind him staying, but i think some more experienced manager can get the team to another level. Would worry much more about losing John Park and company.

 

Depends

 

if the right job comes up for him in the summer I think he will take it. If not nothin appeals to him,he will stay another year. Even tho he says himself that he misses the Rangers games I believe he will want to leave before they are back in the SPFL.

 

He should stay here for many years to come.

 

What if hypothetically Lennon won 5IAR with Sevco's first season in the top flight but failed to win 6IAR in 2017. Would he be sacked in that instance and effectively do you want Lennon in charge every single season until Celtic don't win the title?

And no offence but I expected more realistic responses than "until he retires" or other jokey type comments. I think it's an interesting subject to raise.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but to be honest the way I'm feeling right now I wouldn't be particularly bothered if Lennon left tomorrow.

The quality of football on offer (especially domestically) is shocking, and I don't think is cut out tactically to ever be a "top" manager. In fact, the more I think about it, I'm starting to think that we were very lucky during last year's CL exploits............

I think he's done well to give the team some sort of grounding - especially after the Mowbray debacle - but I'm not sure he is the man to carry on overseeing the evolution of this team. Even great managers like O'Neill and Strachan had sell-by dates as Celtic managers.

 

Absolute *, it wasn't lucky at all, it was * brilliance.

 

I never said it wasn't, in fact you've totally jumped the gun.

 

You said you think he's not tactically good and the more you think of it we were lucky last year. Last year was all about good tactical moves from Neil, individual and collective brilliance and the fact that team had about two years experience together.

This year was too soon for the rebuild Neil was forced into in the summer. He done as well as the players on the pitch could take us, with the exception of Ajax away. As a manager 4 years into his career the way he carries himself for this club and the success he has had is remarkable. Putting that down to luck is just disrespectful.

 

Just for balance, is there anything about his 3 and a half year tenure you think he has failed at or fallen below expectations on?

Thanks for at least engaging in the debate mate, 7 people voted for 2014 and I don't think any have elaborated on why...

 

Nope, you're jumping the gun again mate.

I think overall he's not tactically that good - compared to far more experienced managers, overall I believe that to be an accurate analysis.

What I mean by very lucky in last year's CL group is that we were very lucky and - to use a religious term - blessed that everything worked for us - I never once mentioned that our good work was purely down to luck.