Lennon risked it all, says Strachan
GORDON STRACHAN insists Neil Lennon put his management career on the line when he returned to Celtic for a second stint as manager.
Former Parkhead and Scotland manager Strachan reckons Lennon’s managerial career would have been “finished” if he had failed at delivering nine-in-a-row.
But after building on the success of Brendan Rodgers, being named manager of the year for the third time in his career and securing a history-equalling title, Strachan believes Lennon has answered critics who questioned his appointment.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, he said: “When Neil first came back, it wasn’t unanimous – there were a few doubters there.
“Obviously it was a lot better than what I got but it wasn’t that great. It wasn’t unanimous.
“He’s obviously thinking to himself ‘If I take this job, and fail, that’s me finished’.
“What he’s done – we all know he had that drive as a player – but to have it as a manager is a completely different thing.
“He had to deal with ‘am I going to lose this nine in a row?’
“When it got to that edgy time around new year, he’s dusted himself down with his players and blew the opposition away.
“That shows that he’s got mental strength, intelligence and can deal with anything coming.
“You’re on your own at times and you have to get through things on your own.”
Strachan is also adamant that Lennon is a better manager now than he was when he left Celtic in 2014.
The 48-year-old departed Celtic and went on to manage both Bolton Wanderers and Hibs, each of whom offered a different challenge to the one he faced in the east end of Glasgow.
Strachan added: “The fact that Neil left Celtic and went ‘woah, what have I done?’ has been good for him.
“He’s had to deal with that at Bolton and I know where he’s coming from when you go to a club like Bolton after Celtic, you just don’t get the mentality.
“He’s reinvented himself as a manager and I think that period at Hibs has allowed him to express himself without fear.
“He’s done that, come back to Celtic and went ‘well done, Brendan, that’s fantastic but I need to watch football that I really want to watch’.
“Neil had to do his own wee thing and just tweak it without anybody really noticing.”