LOOK WHO’S BACK...
Lennon takes Celtic hotseat as fans blast Rodgers’ shock exit
NEIL LENNON has said he is “honoured” to be returning as Celtic boss following Brendan Rodgers’ shock exit.
The Parkhead club confirmed last night that the Northern Irishman will take the reigns until the end of the season.
STEVE CLARKE: ‘I’M OUT’: SPORT RODGERS... END OF AN ERA: SPORT
CELTIC fans could not hide their disappointment when it emerged Brendan Rodgers had quit the club and was heading south of the border.
It was a case of one in and one in out at Parkhead with Rodgers signing up for English Premier League side Leicester and the return of the prodigal son Neil Lennon.
As the Evening Times broke the news early yesterday that Rodgers was ready for the off, fans began to gather at Celtic Park.
In the past a sea of fans have greeted new managers with welcoming scenes, but yesterday was a little different and so too was the mood.
Last night Celtic revealed Lennon was on his way back. Their official twitter account said: “Neil Lennon has been named #CelticFC manager until the end of the season. Neil will be joined by John Kennedy as assistant manager and Damien Duff as first team coach. “Welcome home, Neil.” Celtic fan Clare Haggerty said she was absolutely gutted at Rodgers departure.
She said: “I honestly did not see him going. I am not 100 per cent convinced that it is just his decision – I believe the club plays a part in that but if he goes I am totally gutted.”
She said: “At the moment, I am not quite sure. We were invested in Rodgers and I think they thought he was going to stay.”
She added: “I am not sure Lennon is the right path either but we will just have to wait and see. Me personally, I don’t agree with Lennon. It is not because I don’t like him but he has served his time as club manager. He has had good times and bad times and do not think he is the right person to take over the club.”
Joe Kidd thought someone new should come in. He said: “You don’t look back, you always move forward.
“You don’t go back to an old manager, you look for a new one. Somebody who is new and fresh not somebody who has been there before.”
Robert Clark said he was pretty shocked by it.
He said: “Someone had mentioned it to me on Monday night about it and I wouldn’t have thought it was possible. I thought Brendan would have been here for 10 in a row but I am pretty shocked and surprised. Rodgers should have stayed until the end of the season.”
He added: “Lennon has been a manager before and has brought a lot of success to Celtic but I don’t know whether it is too soon to comment on it yet.”
Tony Cassidy said: “It is a bit disappointing. Everyone loves Brendan here at Celtic he has done a great job over the time and we just feel maybe the timing isn’t the best. He could have left in the summer and left as a legend but now the fans feel disappointed.”
‘‘ I am pretty shocked and surprised. Rodgers should have stayed until the end of the season
He added: “Everybody here at Celtic loves Lenny. He’s a legend. He has done a good job previously we are hoping as Celtic fans that Lenny can improve upon – it is obviously his behaviour, his runs in the cup and his similar success in the club in Europe. Lenny is great and we love him. We just wish him the best.”
Stephen Carruth said he was gutted after hearing the news.
He said: “I thought he was going to be here until at least the end of the season and
then maybe make a decision to get down the English Premier League but it is too much for him.”
He added: “I heard a few rumours this morning that it may be Neil Lennon until the end of the season, but if I am honest, I am not very happy with that. I would rather have someone in like Gordon Strachan until the end of the season, but Celtic know what they are doing and that it. We have got to carry on without Rodgers. It was the same when Martin O’Neill left Celtic, we were not happy either but we moved on from his as well and the club will move forward.”
He added: “He will definitely just only be a caretaker role and that’s it. Neil Lennon was at Celtic and he took them as far as they could go so it will only just be a care taker basis that he will be.”
Tony Waterston said: “It is one of those days where you don’t really see coming. He has done a good job being manager for Celtic and I think it is very hard shoes to fill.
“I think Neil Lennon would be a good candidate to replace Rodgers because he knows the way the club is run and has already previously been a manager for Celtic.”
He added: “I think instead of being given caretaker manager, he should be given the manager role, for however long he wants to do it. He knows the job and he knows the way the club is run. To give the job to someone else, that means taking time to get to know the club and how everything is run.”