Lennon admits he’s already ‘itching’ for return to dugout

NEIL LENNON last night insisted that he will soon be ‘itching’ to return to football management — just a fortnight after leaving Celtic under a cloud. The Northern Irishman departed Parkhead in February after the club’s bid for ten in a row was blown apart by Steven Gerrard’s triumphant Rangers side. But, while working as an analyst for BBC Radio Five Live during the Europa League clash between Manchester United and AC Milan at Old Trafford, Lennon revealed that he doesn’t expect to be licking his wounds on the sidelines for long. Asked by commentator John Murray if he planned on getting back in the dugout, the 49-year-old former Bolton and Hibernian boss replied: ‘Yes, absolutely. I’ve had a bit of a break, stayed in the house like everybody else is doing at the minute. But I’m sure I’ll get the itch sooner rather than later.’ Reflecting on a tough final season with the club he served with distinction as a player and as a manager, Lennon said it had been ‘a real privilege’ to be in charge of the team over two separate spells. He said: ‘Listen, I had a brilliant time at Celtic. It just wasn’t our season this season. But the players have achieved incredible things up there in the last sort of five or six years. It was a real privilege.’ Insisting the club would always be special to him despite a disastrous final campaign, he added: ‘Well, I had 20 years sort of as player, coach and manager, so (it was) a huge part of my life.’