Neil Lennon hails Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell's 'huge influence'
Neil Lennon heralded the “magnificent job” carried out by Peter Lawwell after it was revealed the chief executive of 17 years will depart Celtic in the summer. Lawwell will be replaced by Dominic McKay, the chief operating officer of the Scottish Rugby Union. On the watch of Lawwell, widely depicted as the most influential man in Scottish football, Celtic returned 29 trophies, reached the Champions League’s last 16 three times and featured in the 2003 Uefa Cup final.
“It’s one of the most high-pressured jobs in British football and, for me, Peter is one of the best CEOs around,” said Lennon, the Celtic manager. “He’s been a huge, positive influence on many people at the club and has delivered unprecedented success.
“Peter is very shrewd. He’s forwardthinking and has a strong personality. He is a real tough negotiator at times when it comes to contracts and dealing with agents and other clubs. He’s also fought many battles on behalf of the club, which he won a lot.”
McKay’s arrival is likely to trigger more widespread change at the club, with the appointment of a sporting director or head of football operations seen as inevitable. With Celtic a distant second to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, there is also an expectancy that Lennon will not be in place next season. The Northern Irishman denied, though, that Lawwell’s exit had any impact on his own position.
“We talked about this maybe 12 months ago,” Lennon said. “I know Peter spoke to Dermot [Desmond, Celtic’s main shareholder] about it on numerous occasions. Regardless of whether we win the league or don’t, Peter was going to make that transition at the end of the season.”
In a statement, Lawwell said: “Like every Celtic supporter, I am disappointed that, so far, this season has not worked out in the way we all hoped for, despite our best efforts. My goal will be to work with Dominic in order to make changes as smoothly as possible and maintain a focus on continued success on the field of play. Together, our main priority will now be to ensure a seamless transition.”