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

"HAS HE TAKEN CELTIC AS FAR AS HE CAN?"

Over the last two transfer windows, Celtic boss Neil Lennon has helplessly witnessed his side’s key players swap Parkhead for the Premier League. In the summer, he lost Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper to Southampton and Norwich City respectively, while during January, Crystal Palace took advantage of Joe Ledley’s contract situation to lure the midfielder to South London for a rather insignificant fee, believed to be around £800,000.

But this summer, it could be the Northern Irishman’s turn to leave his Scottish Premiership days behind him in favour of its English equivalent. The Canaries, amongst others, have come calling at various points throughout the current campaign, and following three seasons of repetitive success with the Bhoys, one has to ask whether Lennon has achieved all he can with the Glasgow side.

When the 42-year-old took the Celtic gig back in 2010, it was undoubtedly an exciting challenge, the kind of post that balanced out great ambition with room for error, being the first job of the former midfielder’s post-playing career. The eternal Glasgow-based battle for silverware was in full swing, the Old Firm derbies televised globally every season, and of course, the divine reward was experience in the Champions League, a must for any managerial CV, creating some unforgettable European nights in the process.

But Rangers’ financial implosion and subsequent exit from the Scottish Football League drastically changed the landscape of the top flight. Unsurprisingly, in the absence of their only genuine title rivals, Celtic have walked away with the Scottish crown for the past two seasons, three including the last SPL campaign Rangers were involved in.

The current term has been most telling of the SPL’s limited competitiveness; the Hoops have claimed 89 points out of a possible 102 with a goal difference of +66, enduring just one league defeat all season, whilst second-place Aberdeen lay some way off with 64 points – hardly what you’d describe as a genuine threat to Celtic’s dominance. Along the way, goalkeeper Fraser Forster set a record of eleven consecutive clean sheets.

When the Parkhead side claimed the title again this year, the third consecutive one of Lennon’s dugout tenure, the triumph was met with a pitch invasion, but in truth, the celebrations could have started as early as August. Celtic’s title fate was already wrapped up before a ball was struck this season.

The Bhoys boss has taken the lion’s share of the credit for his ability to meet expectations in the league despite the absence of competitive motivation and rightly so, yet the feeling that any manager of adequate credentials could record the same feats under the circumstances – three titles, two Scottish Cups and two SFWA Manager of the Year awards – must be overwhelming.

In the interests of fairness, it’s worth pointing out that without the smooth ride domestically, Lennon probably wouldn’t have had the freedom to mastermind Celtic’s noteworthy triumphs in the Champions League, with by far the most significant being his side’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Nou Camp in November 2012.

The allure of top European football has undoubtedly kept Lennon keen on the Celtic post. It’s a competition only four Premier League managers are privy to per season, and amid the continual glut of the SPL, it’s become the Craigavon man’s only real barometer of success, where he can boast drastic overachievement in terms of finance, resources and the quality of player available to him.

But having plummeted out of the CL’s group stages this season, with the squad intrinsically weaker than the year previous, it appears that even Celtic’s European aims are beginning to saturate. Frankly, they can’t compete with the continental elite, and even if the Bhoys were to drop into the Europa League next season, the chances of silverware remain particularly unlikely, considering its most recent winners have included Porto, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea – two of which are now facing each other in this season’s Champions League semi-final.

Due to Lennon’s ability to source bargain-bought starlets and develop them into sought-after talents in the space of a few seasons, in addition to Celtic’s regular attendance in the Champions League proper, a study revealed earlier this year that the Scottish champions were amongst the top 40 earners in world football, generating £75.8million in revenues from the 2012-13 campaign.

That in itself is a sensational testament to what Lennon has achieved with finite resources at Parkhead, but impressive financial overheads aren’t what the history books will eventually judge you upon. Likewise, the retired midfielder will be well aware that the January study into football finances also revealed that the Bhoys will never venture into the world’s top 20 earners without a significant increase in revenues from SPL TV rights, suggesting Celtic’s current trend of feeding the Premier League whilst defying the odds in Europe is unlikely to change for the better any time soon.

Perhaps I’ve been rather dismissive of Celtic in this article, but what is there left for Lennon to achieve at Parkhead? Another domestic double? Another upset in Europe? Another Manager of the Year award? Barring a treble and European silverware, or the rather tedious task of ensuring an undefeated league campaign, something Celtic are more than capable of doing, the Northern Irishman has already done it all. Meanwhile, his transfer budget continues to slim, as does the calibre of player available to him, whilst the added incentive of the Old Firm derby and the much-needed competition it would provide in the Scottish Premiership is still at least two years away.

Not that trophies would be on tap in the Premier League. In fact, many have speculated that Lennon would have to undergo a stint in the Championship first in order to prove his top flight credentials – a glaring insinuation of the lack of adequate challenge at Celtic Park.

But the Bhoys boss has reached his maxim with the Hoops and it can only go downhill from here. I’m not anticipating Celtic’s spectacular fall from grace, but to paraphrase Charlton Athletic’s Alan Curbishley, it’s better to be clapped out of the front door before you’re booted out the back.

This summer gives Lennon and the club the opportunity to part company on a high, the Hoops enjoying another title and the Northern Irishman leaving for a higher calling on good terms, having achieved all he can with the Scottish Champions. Whether his five trophies in three seasons is enough to secure a Premier League appointment however, remains to be seen.

http://www.footballfancast.com/scottish-premier/celtic/has-he-taken-celtic-as-far-as-he-can

 

Probably yeah. But not out of lack of ability. I just don't see us making the last 8 of the CL so taking us to the last 16 is realistically the furthest he could.

But let's see how we do in the CL next season.

 

I think we can still improve under him and he's good enough to improve us, especially compared to this season in europe. However there is still a glass ceiling at Celtic, he can only achieve so much and he's achieved it all really, Scottish cup, the league (3 times) and knockout stages of the CL.

It'll be sad to see it but there'll be a time where he has to further his ambitions and the only way he can do that is in a better league such as the premier league. He's never going to win the champions league with us, so that argument is slightly silly when people suggest that he should stay because we're in the CL. Norwich don't seem like a club who could all of a sudden be brought to be a top 8 team or so, unless Lennon is extremely shrewd in what he does there.... Norwich mightn't even be in the PL next year.

I think he would jump ship if any team in the premier league for next season wants him. He's one of the best young managers on the planet and can only go from strength to strength.

 

Repetitive? What a load of bullshit.

 

Transfer budget continues to slim? Last summer was the most we've ever spent in a window, for *'s sake. Lennon's yet to win the League Cup, not to mention the treble. He should also be aiming to take us back to the knockout stages of the Champions League and establish us as a reasonably strong European side. Achieved all he can? * me.

 

I'm pretty sure we didn't beat barca at the nou camp.

 

Did Ferguson just say, "* it, I'm packing it in", when he'd won all he could at United? Winning something once doesn't mean you've hit a ceiling. You should be looking to repeat success.

 

I don't think the QFs are beyond us. APOEL achieved it. We matched Barcelona over two legs, last season, and we pushed a world class Milan side to its limits over two legs in the not too distant past. If we can qualify for the knockouts, anything's possible.

 

"whilst the added incentive of the Old Firm derby and the much-needed competition it would provide in the Scottish Premiership is still at least two years away"

Sick to death of hearing this nonsense spouted. Much needed compeitition? What, against the likes of Ian Black, Jon Daly, Nicky Law etc etc. When are clowns like this going to wake up and realise that the chances of Sevco challenging us any time in the near future is pie in the sky. Just today, we have yet another comedy show taking place, with the news that they are teetering on the brink of administration. They have more chance of going the same way as the old club than providing us with this much needed competition.

The whole article just stinks of a bitter hun in my opinion.

 

As supporters have we seen Celtic go as far as they can? Should we now go and support a team in the EPL in order to watch them progress? I think I will stick with Celtic and let those who harp on about how we can achieve no more decide for themselves.

 

He could hardly take a step up though, could he? I mean, he could have moved to a Real Madrid or something, but that's a step sidewards.

 

In the 90's? Easily could have took a step up. The success and stature of United these days are because of Alex Ferguson. It was a far cry from that when he took over.

 

YES!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to win that competition next year? Finally!

Our record is nothing short of shocking in the Scottish League Cup.

 

I think it also has to do with the league your managing in. Ferguson wasn't long in ditching Scotland for England, was he?

You wouldn't blame Lennon if he did the same, even if it was for a middle of the road English side.

 

I think it would show a stark lack of ambition. I wouldn't blame Lenny for leaving due to the problems he faces in Scotland outwith football but leaving Celtic for clubs with the highest chance of success is getting into Europe or a mid-table finish? I think that's a lack of ambition.

 

Sir Alex Ferguson was manager of an amazing Aberdeen side for 8 years.

He probably thought he couldn't take them any further.

I don't think that's the case with Neil Lennon at the moment.

There's still SO much to win.

 

Trebles, 10 in a row, winning the Europa League.

All achievable for the manager.

If you ask me he is just getting started, I know I would be.

 

Great post.

 

As opposed to winning a much coveted SPFL title or domestic Scottish cup?

I don't agree. Moving to such a club brings on the possibility of a move to a bigger club down the line if he proves himself in the English game, and it also sees him involved in one of the top leagues in Europe, pitting his wits against some of the top sides, managers & players in the European game.

 

Yes as apposed to winning the SPFL or the cups we are involved in. The cups he celebrated and burst a gut to win as a player, to take as further in Europe, to establish ourselves as a European team, to go down as one of our greatest managers ever, winning 10 in a row. Doing what he is currently doing. Can win a treble, further his legend here.

There's so much scope for improvement here, so much scope to carry on an unforgettable legacy? You would throw that away to go and follow the career paths of Alan Pardew or Sam Allardyce or Alan Curbishley? Sounds * stupid to me.