Neil Lennon knows better than most what Martin O’Neill will want from the Celtic board this summer.

The former Celtic boss has backed O’Neill to take control of the job again, but he also made it clear that the club must give him the strongest possible platform ahead of a huge season.

Speaking to PLZ Soccer, Lennon said Celtic will have a budget regardless of whether the club are planning around Champions League or Europa League money, but the key is how well that budget is used.

“There’ll be a budget, whether it’s the Champions League or the Europa League, and they’ve got to maximise the budget for Martin,” Lennon said.

“So I’m sure there’ll be talks going on, and Martin will hopefully get what he wants.

“As Celtic managers, we always want more. That can’t be always the case. But they’ve got to give him the best possible chance, which I’m sure they will, of qualifying for the Champions League, and then the whole season opens up.”

That is the key line.

Lennon is not calling for reckless spending. He is not suggesting Celtic abandon their model or throw money around for the sake of it. But he is making the obvious point. If O’Neill is being trusted with the job, the club have to give him a squad capable of handling the Champions League qualifier.

Celtic cannot afford another summer where major business drifts, key positions remain unresolved, and supporters are asked to wait for the market to move. August is not a warm-up. It could shape the entire season.

Champions League qualification changes everything. It affects the budget, the quality of player Celtic can attract, the mood around the club, and the level of pressure on the manager. That is why Lennon’s comments matter. He has been in that chair. He knows the demands. He knows the frustration when every manager wants more, but also knows the reality that Celtic will never give a blank cheque.

The job for the board is to find the balance.

Lennon also pointed directly to recruitment, and there was little ambiguity in his assessment.

“The recruitment’s got to be a lot better than it was last season,” he said. “I’m sure it will be because there’s been changes from last season to this.”

That is an important admission.

Celtic’s recruitment cannot simply be busy. It has to be better. There is a difference. Signing players is one thing. Signing players who immediately raise the level is another.

If O’Neill is to make Celtic more stable and more difficult to beat, he will need proper first-team quality, not just numbers. The club must identify priority positions early, move decisively, and avoid leaving the squad short when the European qualifiers arrive.

Lennon believes O’Neill’s presence gives Celtic a stronger footing.

“The club’s more stable now with Martin at the helm,” he added. “There’s a level of respect for him outside the building and inside the building as well. Hopefully he’ll get to be far more assertive now and in control of things.”

That last sentence is worth noting.

O’Neill cannot simply be a figurehead. If Celtic have decided he is the right man, he must be allowed to properly shape the squad. He knows the club, he knows the demands, and he carries a level of authority few others could bring.

But authority only matters if it is backed.

The board now have to show that O’Neill’s appointment is not just about stability, familiarity or respect. It has to come with a clear football plan.

Lennon also made it clear that O’Neill’s status has now changed.

“I’m delighted for him, I think it should have been his decision, and his alone, but now he’s in the hot seat again,” he said.

“Expectations change now. He’s no longer the interim, he’s no longer filling in for anyone. So the pressure shifts, but he’ll be well aware of that.”

That is exactly right.

As interim manager, O’Neill was judged differently. He stepped in, steadied the club, and gave Celtic a lift when it was badly needed. But a permanent role is different. The expectations rise immediately.

Now he will be judged on recruitment, results, consistency, Europe and whether Celtic look like a properly built team again.

Lennon believes O’Neill earned that chance.

“He did a magnificent job last year,” he said. “What they won’t want to do is have the same sort of season they had last year where they were so inconsistent and lost far too many games.

“I think they’re in for a big summer recruitment-wise and they’ve got the right man at the helm.”

That sums up the challenge.

Celtic have the right man, according to Lennon. Now they need the right summer.

The board do not need to rip up the club’s financial model. They do not need to spend wildly. But they do need to make sure O’Neill is not left trying to solve last season’s problems with half a squad and late-window promises.

If Celtic want Champions League football, they have to prepare like it.

That means backing the manager early, improving recruitment, and making sure the team that enters August is ready for the job in front of it.

Lennon has not said anything outrageous here. He has said what most supporters already know.

Martin O’Neill can bring authority, stability and experience. But the board must now give him the tools.

Because if Celtic get this summer wrong, it will not just be O’Neill who faces questions.