Neil Lennon knows better than most what Martin O’Neill can do to a football club.
The Dunfermline manager will lead his side into Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final against Celtic carrying years of experience from dressing rooms shaped by O’Neill, first at Leicester City and then during one of the most successful spells in Celtic’s modern history.
Lennon arrived at Leicester as a young midfielder and quickly became one of O’Neill’s trusted players. That relationship continued in Glasgow where Lennon became central to the Celtic side that broke Rangers’ domestic grip and reached a UEFA Cup Final.
Now the pair meet from opposite dugouts with very different jobs on their hands. O’Neill has dragged Celtic to a dramatic league title after replacing Wilfried Nancy late in the season, while Lennon has turned Dunfermline into the story of the cup campaign after wins over Premiership opposition.
There is respect between them, but Lennon made clear this week that his admiration for O’Neill comes from seeing daily standards behind the scenes rather than nostalgia. Leicester consistently punched above their weight under O’Neill. Celtic became harder, quicker and mentally tougher after his arrival in 2000. Lennon was in both dressing rooms.
Lennon reflected on that influence while speaking ahead of Saturday’s final.
He said: (PLZ Soccer), He teaches you how to win. I was very, very lucky. I’d had 10 years of Martin in his pomp.
“Everyone talks about what he did here. What he did at Leicester was incredible. Obviously getting promotion and then we had four top ten finishes in the Premier League and three League Cup finals.
“He was on a fraction of a budget compared to the rest. If that was a modern day manager now, he’d be going to Bayern Munich or somewhere like that.”
The Leicester comparison matters because O’Neill’s current Celtic side has carried some of the same traits during this title run. They have looked relentless late in games. They attack second balls aggressively and push numbers forward when matches become stretched.
That was obvious against Hearts on the final day when Celtic refused to accept the title race was gone after falling behind late on. Arne Engels kept demanding possession. Daizen Maeda kept driving into tired defenders. Callum Osmand attacked the box when Hearts legs had started to go.
Lennon will know exactly what his old manager wants from a cup final. Celtic are expected to dominate territory and possession, but O’Neill’s teams also thrive when games become emotional and chaotic.
Dunfermline have already shown they can make matches uncomfortable for better sides. Lennon has them compact without the ball and dangerous once transitions open up. He has also made it clear this week his players are not travelling to Hampden for the occasion alone.
Saturday now carries another layer because of the relationship between the two managers. Lennon learned from O’Neill during the biggest years of his playing career. This time he is trying to stop him completing a domestic double.
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