Neil Lennon

* love him

 

Rhodri will be cheaper and looks the same? Never worked with getting the wrong bagura but might this time.

 

Lenny does his fair share of scouting other teams, in person which I think is invaluable. BR was only see at actual games a handful of times. Maybe relying on scouts or our squad superiority, seeing things in person though and getting a feel for a team needs to be done in person where possible.

 

Neil Lennon remains reluctant to change anything in his second week as Celtic manager but he has seen room for improvement in certain aspects of their attacking play.

Lennon vowed to simply try to continue Brendan Rodgers' work after replacing the new Leicester boss as Celtic push for a hat-trick of domestic trebles, and he sealed wins over Hearts and Hibernian in his first few days back in charge.

And the former Celtic captain has been impressed with the systems in place as assistant manager John Kennedy provides continuity in his first full week of training.

"The organisational side of things is tremendous and preparation is key," Lennon told Celtic TV.

"We have some great professionals in the backroom staff who set a really high standard in terms of their professionalism and that emanates down to the players as well.

"Everything is there for the players, everything is there for the staff. Obviously I will have my own look at things in the analysis side of things because I know most of the teams quite well.

"But I haven't wanted to change anything really. Obviously you have your own opinion on things, you try to get your points across, but not too many. The team has been going well, we have had two great results so far."

However, Lennon has pinpointed certain targets as he approaches his return to Celtic Park, with Aberdeen the visitors in Saturday's Ladbrokes Premiership game.

He said: "I think we can score more goals. I think we can get the ball forward a little bit quicker.

"We have great pace in wide areas and through the middle in an attacking sense so I would like us to utilise that a little bit quicker if we can.

"But I understand teams like Hibs for example on Saturday and even Hearts when they went down to 10 men, they get back into shape very, very early, and sometimes you can't move the ball quickly, and it requires a little bit of patience and probing.

"But maybe just varying attacks a bit more when we get into the final third - but you can't have everything. The lads have been absolutely fantastic this season, the last two seasons and certainly in my tenure so far, even though it's embryonic, they have played great."








NEIL LENNON has revealed he's held one-to-one talks with Kristoffer Ajer, Dedryck Boyata and Kieran Tierney.

The Hoops boss returned to the helm at Parkhead last week after Brendan Rodgers' departure.

And he says it's been a 'nice transition' getting to know some of the new faces while having familiar players around.

Asked how important the personal connection is, Lennon told Celtic TV: "Important to me, very important just to get to know them.

"Get to know what they think about the club, the environment, how they are playing and getting to know their personality really.

"I think it is important for a manager, not only to look at the player as a footballer but as a human being as well.

"I had a one on one with Kris, Dedryck, some of the injured boys as well and KT.

"Obviously, I know the likes of James, Mikael, Scott Brown, Tom Rogic. It's been a nice transition into the job"

Celtic take on Aberdeen this Saturday as Lennon looks to make it three wins from three.

And he admits he's hoping the Dons will have one eye on their Scottish Cup replay with Rangers on Tuesday.

He said: "I hope so! It's a huge game for them.

"It depends on the individual manager and how much presence they put on the cup game now.

"Obviously they'll be competitive, Aberdeen are up there challenging for third sport with Kilmarnock so they won't want to take their eye off the ball in the league but I'm sure, with the game being on Tuesday as well, a quick turn around, they'll have a big eye on the cup game.

"I'm hoping that, I can't guarantee it.

 

NB on Neil Lennon: "He’s a big character and someone you look up to and really respect. You need your managers to be like that and we'll do everything we can as a squad to make him successful."

 

hopefully that not the lee i think it is

 

What Lee do you think it is.

 

NL: It's all settled down a bit now. The players are ready and concentrated on what will be another difficult game.


NL on Aberdeen: "Derek McInnes is a brilliant manager and will have something up his sleeve for us for sure. We're prepare to be ready for everything they have."

NL on difference between his #CelticFC squads: "We had some really good players in my time and this group of players are excellent as well. The personality of the group is very good and they've had a perfect record in the cups."

NL on
@Scotty_Sinclair
: "Sinclair’s had a very good season and he’s been very important for the team in the last few seasons. He'll be crucial in the league run in for us."


NL on VAR: "It would be great. I think we're all in agreement up here on that. It just depends as different countries use it differently."

 

Exactly what I wanted to hear when he joined. Good game tomorrow to see the initial fruition of his new training and tactics regime.

Such a buzz seeing us flying at home, pure confidence is hard to beat.

Don't follow mainstream media but just watching Scottish program on BT and pundits said a lot of folk have said Lenny was very fortunate to be available for the Celtic job at the right time? Who said that?

 

The guy's a born winner. Look how gutted he was when Hibs lost out in the race for 2nd last season. Lenny's hunger for success is one of the most inspiring things I've seen.

 

Neil Lennon has already discussed summer signing targets with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell and head of recruitment Lee Congerton.

Lennon is currently in charge until the end of the season following the swift departure of Brendan Rodgers to Leicester but long-term plans are already underway in terms of the rebuilding job that Celtic face this summer.

With a number of key players heading to parent clubs at the end of the season – Filip Benkovic, Oliver Burke, Timothy Weah and Jeremy Toljan – and players out of contract such as Dedryck Boyata, Celtic are keen to have signings lined up ahead of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers which begin in early July.


And both Lennon and Congerton, who had been linked with a move away from Celtic this week, have already began that rebuilding process in conjunction with Lawwell with early discussions to identify key positions and signings targets already done.

“I had a meeting with Peter and Lee Congerton on Wednesday so there are plans in place already,” revealed Lennon. “There are positions identified and some players identified and there is a plan going forward so it is business as usual as far as I am concerned and until I am told otherwise.

“Some of the players are away playing in tournaments and the under-20 World Cup and things like that. It is important to do as much business as quickly as possible and if we can get it done now then even better.

“It was good to meet Lee and have a few hours with him. I enjoyed his company and I was really impressed with what he had in mind. Whether that changes or not I don’t know but it is not the impression I got from Lee.

“I think everyone is well aware of that [the need to invest in squad this summer]. Even if Brendan had been here it still would have needed a bit of work.


We haven’t touched on that [pre-season] yet. I think there was a meeting the other day that I couldn’t make but that is all in hand as well.”

Those discussions – as normal as if he were in the job on a permanent basis – might indicate that Lennon will indeed be given a second long-term spell in charge. That remains to be seen but the 47-year-old has accepted that there is more pressure on him now as interim manager as he seeks to deliver an historic third successive treble than there would be under normal circumstances.

It is not about me completing the Treble, it is about making sure the players do,” he said. “The whole bulk of the work was done by Brendan and the players so it important that we maintain that run of form and try to get over the line to do something pretty unique. Winning the Treble for me would be nice but it is all about the players. I am only in here for 12 or 15 games so it would be job done and job well done but we know we still have a lot of work to do.

“There is nothing guaranteed one way or another and that is fine by me. It is not about me, it is about the club. I have to make sure that for the club’s sake that we, firstly, try and win the title and then the Cup but the title is the priority obviously.”

 

At least they acknowledge theres a big rebuild in the summer.

 

2 cbs plus another on loan
Rb
Lb cover
Weah on loan