I would like to start by thanking Neil Lennon, he came in our hour of need, won the 8-in-a-row title and finished the treble-treble after being appointed interim manager in February 2019 before being offered the managerial position on a full-time basis.
This controversial decision split the fan base. Many, including myself, were opposed to the permanent appointment. In his first full season back in his second spell, Neil Lennon gave us nights to remember like Lazio home and away but also gave us nights to forget like Cluj in the Champions League qualifiers. Lennon also won both the Betfred Cup and the league, which was awarded on points per game due to the suspension of football due to the covid pandemic. Neil and the team also won the Scottish cup that was delayed to this season.
However, the Irishman simply wasn’t good enough and it was evident for so much of the season. Despite having a better win percentage than his first spell as manager the competition was bigger and better than he had previously faced.
His departure was almost guaranteed after a poor season, domestically and in Europe but I do feel some sympathy towards him. The team on paper is the best in the league in my opinion and with a summer transfer window we were all proud of we thought the league would be staying in Paradise.
The recruitment was poor, Barkas is still to solidify his place in the team, Duffy unable to defend, Taylor starting ahead of Laxalt and Ajeti just doesn’t look good enough as of yet. Not all this the manager’s fault, the scouts will have watched these players and we were said to have our sights on some of these players for a matter of years. Lennon will feel let down by this. But ultimately, the manager of the club is the one who pays the price.
After months of Neil Lennon being under immense pressure, the media broke the news that the manager of Celtic Football Club would be leaving in the next 24 hours. This angered many fans, myself included. Why would the club leak to any newspaper?
All of this season the fans have been appalled by the club leaking news to newspapers like The Sun and The Daily Record and not communicating to us, the fans directly.
I believe the outgoing manager deserves our respect and when the dust settles, he will be appreciated for his time at the club.
He is a Celtic man through and through and I wish he was the manager to lift the 10th successive league title. In my eyes, Lennon will always be a Celtic legend, and I hope others agree. I thank Neil Lennon for stepping down, for realising the job was too big for him. I also wish John Kennedy the best of luck for these next 8 games, but let’s hope the board don’t make the same mistake twice.
Aaron Haire
MARTINEZ and MALONEY are the ideal team for CELTIC. Come on the hoops.