WE’RE GOING TO ENJOY THE RIDE
Lennon says pressure of taking over from Rodgers took its toll but he’s ready to savour Celtic’s quest for history
AFEW minutes after Celtic had clinched an eighth consecutive title success, an exhausted Neil Lennon walked into the Pittodrie press room. He said all the right things but his demeanour was more befitting a man who had lost a league championship. Handed the job of seeing out the season after Brendan Rodgers’ impromptu flit to Leicester City, a drained Lennon admitted those weeks spent coaxing another man’s team to the finish line while others waited for a slip had taken their toll.
There was no joy in his voice, only an admission that he had been through the toughest spell of his managerial career.
Fast forward a year and Lennon feels altogether more secure in his work.
The opportunity to recruit his own players, show a few others the door and adopt a playing style more in keeping with his own personality has brought the old spark back.
His work in capturing a league and League Cup double has also landed him the William Hill Scottish Football Writers’ Association’s Manager of the Year award, an accolade he clinched ahead of Stephen Robinson, Dick Campbell and Gary Holt.
All told, he feels far less burdened as he prepares for the season in which the club will seek out the holy grail of 10 in a row.
If Celtic were ultimately awarded last season’s crown by an SPFL member vote, the manner in which they assembled their 13-point lead was indisputably the form of champions.
Having met the challenge provided by a resurgent and improving Rangers head on, Lennon knows his squad is in a good place as it prepares to return to training at Lennoxtown this week.
And although every kick of the ball in season 2020-21 will be framed within the context of the club’s pursuit of the 10, he feels energised by the prospect.
He said: ‘It’s certainly going to be one of the most exciting seasons, that’s for sure.
‘In terms of pressure I don’t think I’ll ever go through what I went through when I came in the second time around.
‘I’m excited, I’m hopeful and the pressure is one I’m looking to enjoy
more than I did when I came back in — the scrutiny and analysis was unbelievable.
‘I’ve had a good 14 or 15 months back in the job, so I’m comfortable in my own skin.
‘We’ve got a real good structure and backroom staff here.
‘I’m excited and I think the players and fans will be too.
‘It’s something monumental we’re going for. It has never been done before, so that’s a huge driving motivation for everyone. ‘Winning the award is something I’m absolutely delighted with. Considering there was a lot of good competition around, I’m very grateful.’ Infamously offered the job in the Hampden shower room after the club’s Scottish Cup final win over Hearts in May 2019, Lennon’s appointment did not go down universally well among a Celtic support stung by Rodgers’ defection yet still in thrall to the big science and big-time cache of the former Liverpool boss.
Although more instinctive and less tethered to the principles of tactical repetition than his predecessor, Lennon leaned heavily on assistant and avowed Rodgers disciple John Kennedy last season.
Having watched a 3-5-2 shape yield a landmark win over Lazio in the Europa League, together the pair decided that formation should become the team’s default setting after the winter break.
Beaten by Rangers in the last game of 2019, the team responded and, with Leigh Griffiths joining the sublime Odsonne Edouard in attack, the title-winning lead was assembled.
This summer should be more about tinkering than significant change.
In tandem with the club’s scouting chief Nick Hammond, Kennedy will again have a big say in this summer’s transfer activity but less of a rebuild is required.
Last year, Rodgers’ linchpins
Kieran Tierney, Mikael Lustig and Scott Sinclair were respectively sold, released and phased out.
This year’s two main priorities are the retention of Edouard and Fraser Forster.
Talks are ongoing with the French striker in a bid to convince him to stick around for another year before making his inevitable big-money transfer, while Celtic are keen on another loan for Southampton goalkeeper Forster.
A replacement will also need to be found for centre-back Jozo Simunovic. A big-money signing from Dinamo Zagreb five years ago, the Croatian struggled with knee injuries throughout his time in Glasgow but was generally selected by Lennon when fit.
If the manager is to persist with the back three that worked so effectively coming out of last term’s winter break, he will not wish to rely on Hatem Abd Elhamed staying fit to plug the gap. ‘It’s always tough to release players,’ said Lennon, who has also allowed Jonny Hayes to leave.
‘I even go back to last year when Mika (Lustig) left the club. That was a difficult decision but one we felt was right for the club.
‘Jozo was a great servant but we are looking to improve in that area. We decided not to take the option up so that is a position we are looking at, younger ones to come in and play alongside (Kristoffer) Ajer, Elhamed and (Christopher) Jullien.
‘We are looking at three or four different types of centre-half for that position.’
Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna has been on Celtic’s radar for two years and may again come into the equation. The Dons had previously valued the Scotland internationalist in excess of £7million but would likely accept a bid significantly below that sum in the current environment.
A replacement for Hayes may also be sought, especially as Boli Bolingoli’s stint as Tierney’s replacement was far from successful.
Greg Taylor remains the favoured left-flank option but the club is also keeping an eye on Hearts youngster Aaron Hickey.
‘We are looking to develop and improve the squad and those are two positions that we are looking at,’ said Lennon. ‘We’ve had a couple of recruitment meetings and hopefully we can get the ball rolling.
‘That will create its own excitement. Recruitment is a big part of management.
‘Nick and his team have been working so hard, even over the last month or two.’
The aim, then, will be to take the improvements of last season and maintain the standard for the duration of the new campaign.
Time will tell whether January recruits Ismaila Soro and Patryk Klimala are of the necessary standard but, with a year’s football under their belts Jullien, Taylor and to a lesser extent Elhamed are now fully bedded in and can be expected to perform immediately.
‘When I came in it was very pressurised, a really intense period of my managerial career,’ added Lennon. ‘I took a lot from that and we carried it on into the new season and played with a real swashbuckling style that the fans enjoyed.
‘Ultimately, it was about getting results and it’s not as if we were scratching for those. We knew there was a challenge on and it was one we embraced.
‘Our first half of the season was excellent. Our second half was even better.
‘Again, that speaks volumes for the players and the way they focused their minds.
‘They wouldn’t give anything up, their titles or their cups.
‘We brought in some new players who integrated brilliantly into the squad. They can take a lot of pride from their first season because it’s not easy.
‘You are under intense scrutiny and pressure. There is an expectation with the club, just with what teams of the past have achieved. They have carried on that mantle.
‘We had a great Europa League campaign up until we went out. And our away record was amazing really. We only lost two in all competitions.
‘The volume of goals, the quality of football and individual players developing their game was a big source of satisfaction for me. And I have to say my backroom staff of John, Damien Duff, Stevie Woods and the medical team did a brilliant job for me.
‘Obviously through this pandemic we have had a bit more time to reflect and take stock.
‘It’s monumental what the club has done over the last decade. More than ever we go into this season with real excitement and anticipation.’