Lennon: I’m being forgotten
NEIL LENNON boasts one of the outstanding managerial CVS in the game today.
But since quitting Celtic nine months ago, the 50-year-old is struggling to get acknowledged when he goes after a vacancy.
While his former Old
Firm rival Steven Gerrard heads to Aston Villa – and had previously been touted for every top post in the Premier League – Lennon’s name rarely gets a mention when jobs come up.
“It’s frustrating,” said the former Northern
Ireland international, who still lives in Glasgow.
“Some people probably assume that I’m not looking for a return to management because of the way it ended at Celtic.
“But nothing could be further from the truth.
“I’m still relatively young, as hungry as ever and believe I would bring something to any club.
“And I’d like to think my track record compares favourably to most.”
He landed 10 pieces of silverware in his two Celtic spells, but it was the title Lennon wasn’t going to win that brought his resignation on February 24.
Lennon recalled: “Some players just got to the end of the road. The pandemic hit us badly, because once we returned to action, we were never the same again.
“I still look back with immense satisfaction at what I did achieve.
“But one or two people have short memories.”
He must wonder if that sort of selective amnesia is catching, when he doesn’t even get a reply to some of his job applications.
“It is a bit of a mystery,” Lennon added. “I think I’ve done a decent job wherever I’ve been.”
He takes encouragement from Eddie Howe’s recent appointment, and said:
“For a long time, everyone talked about Eddie being relegated at Bournemouth, and not the huge success he enjoyed previously.
“But Newcastle saw the bigger picture, and Eddie’s back in the game now.
“I’d love to think that it will be similar for me.”