I’LL TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN SEEING VAN DIJK WIN THE TITLE AT LIVERPOOL
NEIL LENNON TALKS WITH CHRIS SUTTON ON HELPING TO MAKE THE DUTCH DEFENDER A WORLD BEATER AND CELTIC’S NINTH TITLE
Neil lennon is thinking back to the night that Martin o’neill and a Domino’s pizza box changed his life.
it was February 14, 1996, and o’neill, then manager of Championship side leicester, had rocked up at the Manchester home lennon was renting with a friend.
The 24-year- old midfielder was all set to sign for Ron Atkinson’s Coventry in the Premier league. Terms were agreed, including wages of £1,000 a week and a £100,000 signing-on fee.
So o’neill and his assistant John Robertson had some persuading to do. ‘ He was this whirlwind of energy and compliments,’ remembers the man who recently guided Celtic to their ninth consecutive Scottish Premiership title.
‘He basically sold leicester to me. Me and my mate had been living on pizzas. He picked up a box, wrote down the terms and handed it to me. it was one of those sliding doors moments. i signed for leicester in the Championship.’
We got lennon together with his old Celtic team-mate and
Sportsmail columnist Chris Sutton to talk all things north and south of the border. Reporter Kieran Gill listened in.
CHRIS SUTTON: it’s 20 years since o’neill became Celtic manager. He clearly had an influence on you as a coach, starting with that encounter in early 1996.
NEIL LENNON: At leicester, he did amazing things. At Celtic, he changed the landscape of the game. At Aston Villa, top six in the Premier league and a league Cup final. Ten years under Martin was the making of me. i learned a hell of a lot about the psychology of the game from him and he’s still a port of call for me.
SUTTON: o’neill and Robertson in turn learned from Brian Clough and Peter Taylor at nottingham Forest.
LENNON: They would have been very, very similar. There was nothing corporate about them. it was about emotion. it was about getting the best out of you. When i played under Martin, i’d run through brick walls for him. His man-management was second to none.
SUTTON: He didn’t mind dishing out the hairdryer treatment, towards me or you.
LENNON: When i was sent off one time, he made me realise it wasn’t about being the token hard man because you were only letting yourself and your team-mates down. Very rarely over our 10 years did we fall out but the majority of the time he was right to pull me up, either for a lack of professionalism or lack of respect.
SUTTON: is it fair to say you have mellowed as a manager?
LENNON: i’m not as reactive as i was. i take more time to analyse things. i speak to the players the way they want to be spoken to. They’re a different breed now. You get frustrated — that’s natural. But there’s no question that i’m more pensive when dealing with certain situations, like player predicaments or form. The game has evolved. it’s different to our era. You have to adapt.’
Lennon replaced Brendan Rodgers midway through the 2018-19 season when the treble Treble was on the line. To secure it, Celtic had to win the Scottish Premiership, Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup.
LENNON: There was huge scrutiny on myself. You don’t want to be the one to break up the dominant run and i felt that. it’s a goldfish bowl up here in Glasgow.
SUTTON: You got there in the end and Celtic extended your contract.
LENNON: Then our priority became to win the nine. That’s a magical number up here because both teams had done it before.
GILL: Celtic between 1966 and 1974, under Jock Stein. Rangers between 1989 and 1997.
LENNON: We’re disappointed it was curtailed at a time when we were so dominant and playing such great football. But it was a magnificent achievement.
SUTTON: A 10th title would be even more historic. Say you secure that, is there a part of you which might think you have achieved all you can at Celtic?
LENNON: You can’t get too far ahead of yourself. The 10 is at the forefront of all of our motivation, and europe is a big carrot as well. Where i am this time next year, i don’t know. i’m sure i’ll still have plenty of fire in the belly.
SUTTON: is there a part of you which wants to manage in the Premier league?
LENNON: i love Celtic and we have got huge motivation going into next season. When you are younger, you look ahead, and that is a mistake. it is something which would appeal but i don’t know when and if that scenario will ever occur. But i’m already at one of the best clubs in europe. i’m happy with what i’ve got and i want more.
SUTTON: When Premier league jobs come, or even Championship jobs, i don’t see your name linked. Doesn’t that make you feel under-appreciated?
LENNON: That’s a loaded question! i’m not here to attract other clubs. i’m here to make Celtic and myself better. Sometimes the Scottish game gets a little downplayed but in last year’s Champions league final, we had Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama.
CeLTiC’S last outing before the season’s curtailment saw them beat St Mirren 5-0 in front of 58,998 fans on March 7. They were then confirmed champions on points per game on May 18.
SUTTON: Celtic were crowned champions on points per game. But are you envious that other leagues get to play on?
LENNON: i’d love to have the players back, the contact training, the games. We’ll be looking on with a little bit of envy.
SUTTON: if the Premier league season has to be halted again because of Covid, liverpool will probably be champions on PPG. Would that be the right call?
LENNON: You cannot deny liverpool the title. They’ve been the best team by a considerable distance. But the Premier league seem confident. They’ve got the resources and the will to do it.
SUTTON: So we should see former Celtic star Virgil van Dijk lifting the title. Talk to me about him. You signed him for Celtic in 2013 — for £2.6million!
LENNON: He was Rio Ferdinand in the making. He had all of those attributes — he was quick, composed, brilliant in the air in both boxes. i couldn’t believe there was no english interest. i also couldn’t believe he was at Celtic for two seasons!
SUTTON: Are you envious of the english riches?
LENNON: i wouldn’t say envious. i like finding players under the radar. Van Dijk is the standout example. He goes for £13m to Southampton, then £ 75m to liverpool, and now he is probably the best centre half in the world. We take pride in that. We take pride in Kieran Tierney going to Arsenal for £25m.
SUTTON: There was a debate about Celtic becoming part of the Premier league.
LENNON: Celtic in england would be massive. With the TV money and revenue coming in, they would be a very powerful force in england. But we are a million miles away from that.
SUTTON: Congratulations again on the ninth title. Have you had time to reflect on it?
LENNON: To be here as a manager sitting on nine in a row, it’s a fantastic feeling. it means everything. But now we want the 10. ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY