I still wonder why Neil Lennon left Celtic the first time as manager. He had been so successful and walked out to a packed Celtic Park every home game. Then he just left without any prior warning signs. Well, maybe that is not completely true.

Clearly some of the non-football stuff had got absolutely ridiculous and the media in Scotland never helped it either, in fact, some nearly encouraged it. But, Lennon always seemed dogged in the face of it all. Maybe it was all too much, after all, how many among us would get up and go to work every day while under constant attack? Bullets posted to your family home, attacked pitchside, your home vandalised just to name a few incidents.

In Neil Lennon’s very lengthy interview with the BBC that you can read here, the Irishman names his time down south with Bolton as one of his worse experiences in management but one that has greatly helped him take nothing for granted on his second stint with the champions.

“It was a bad experience, but one you learn from. You’re used to winning up here (Celtic). You never take it for granted, but your weekends are normally quite good. Bolton was the total opposite.”

The manager went on to speak about how he copes with the buck always stopping on his doorstep.

“You analyse a game to death but you can’t get it back. Deal with it on the day and move on. Fergie had the horses as a distraction. I like to read. It can’t always be work, work, work or it will grind you down eventually.”

His time at Hibs might not have shown much learning in the last few weeks at Easter Road but all Celtic fans will notice a different demeanour with Neil this time around. The manager is a lot more calculated and calm and that seems to be working out just perfectly for everyone at Celtic Football Club.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.