Neil Lennon **The Official Thread**

there are times when a team can carry a numpty, but this team cant carry any 2-3 just brakes the camel's back.

 

well that's just not true there is nothing but a couple of bad performance to back up what your saying

 

And yet he was tactically good enough to bring us away in Europe and keep a clean sheet twice and bring us away in Europe last year and have our best record away in Europe in a very long time.

Swings and roundabouts.

 

Threads Merged.

 

I dont really disagree with any of this, but I would say that it is unfair to compare the European exploits of ONeil and Strachan to Lennon's Celtic side. Lennon has built a squad from scratch with near zero net spend. ONeil was given a pretty hefty budget to compete in Europe with and even WGS had the chance to slowly downsize from a decent Celtic side. Benfica (a middling 2nd seed in the champions league) have just sold one of their best players for over £30m - probably double the cost of our entire squad. We have as much right to challenge the best teams in Europe as bottom in the league SPL clubs have to challenge to win the league.

The problem we have in comparing Lennon to any benchmark is that we no longer have one. We have a totally different budget compared to previous (better) Celtic sides, and we have no Rangers to benchmark ourselves against anymore. We are too big for the SPL so any success is seen as standard, while we are so far behind the spending in Europe that success in the champions league is near zero.

Personally, I think Lennon has done a good job for an inexperienced manager. He has made mistakes but when you sign a guy who has never managed before then that is what you get. He has actually been given a pretty good and unique opportunity to learn slowly over the next couple of years without any real challenge. We are a young team with a young boss and both should continue to improve as they become more experienced.

 

Massive credit to the players tonight.

But we can't forget our manager, Lenny. Tactics, team selection and changes all spot on tonight.

What a fantastic job he has done here with this team.

Hats off!

 

Spot on mate. Tactics from Lennon and management staff were just brilliant. Massive decision and ultimate boost for us bringing wee James on as it gave their left back a * horrid time.

 

Well he's went and topped two of our most successful managers away record in the CL at his first attempt.

Obviously doing something right.

* bless Neil Lennon, and here's to many more nights like this

 

He's achieved what some of our greatest could not tonight.

 

Well in Neil. Got the tactics spot on and was pleased with the subs specially after Spartak went down to 10. Improving everyday and you can see the players believe in him.

Great belief in the team at the moment.

 

The way hes changed this teams mentality in europe is staggering, all hail lennon !

 

Legend, first time ive called him it.

 

Already done something MON and WGS couldn't do. Love the guy.

 

Anyone got a good Lenny cover I could use for facebook?

 

sorry if it has been asked.

Whats is lennons Overall European career? (including braga etc)

 

we ARE ALL NEIL LENNON

 

Has done wonders with this team,delighted for the man

 

Tactically spot on with team selection, formation and tactics.

 

Thought he got the balance of the team and the tactics spot on tonight.

Sitting back and hitting on the counter was working very well for us, it was just unfortunate that we gave away two silly goals. Glad that we didn't press too much in the first half as that would have gave Spartak the opportunity to pick us off.

Brilliant to see us actually go for the win when they went down to ten men, it would have been easy for us when we got the equaliser to be cautious with our away record in the CL group stages in mind. A draw would have been a very respectable result, but we didn't settle for that and got what we deserved in the last minutes.

Brilliant from Lenny tonight.

 

i love having a fan as our manager, knows exactly what he wants to achieve and hes got the mentality to achieve them, i dont think theres anyone who will be celebrating more than neil lennon tonight!
From having to pack up and leave his home at all hours and being attacked on the pitch, to leading his team to winning games in the biggest club competition in the world!
well played Neil Lennon. Well Deserved!