CELTIC JOB: ‘NO GUARANTEES, NO REASSURANCES, NO PROMISES,’ REVEALS LENNY

NEIL LENNON admitted he is still in the dark over the Celtic manager’s job.

The interim boss led the Hoops to an emphatic 3-0 triumph over Aberdeen in a controversial encounter yesterday to set up a Scottish Cup Final showdown against Hearts at Hampden on May 25.

Victory over the Edinburgh side will bring the Parkhead men an unprecedented treble treble, a phenomenal record of all nine domestic trophies in three years.

Despite major shareholder Dermot Desmond dismissing speculation over external candidates at the weekend, Lennon, who is unbeaten in eight games since taking over at his former club following Brendan Rodgers’ sharp exit to Leicester City in February, revealed he still does not know his future at the champions.

The 47-year-old Irishman watched goals from James Forrest, Odsonne Edouard and Tom Rogic blow away a Dons team that finished the tie with nine men following the dismissals of Dom Ball and Lewis Ferguson to ease the Glasgow giants towards a grand finale next month.

Lennon, speaking to the Daily Mail, said: “I spoke to Dermot on Saturday and he said all the speculation is just noise and nonsense.

“I knew that anyway because these are class people I work for. I’ve worked for them before and know the way they work. So, I know it’s just conjecture and speculation.

“They leave me to get on with the job, which is obviously reassuring. But I didn’t need that reassurance anyway.

HAMPDEN TALK-IN…Neil Lennon chats with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell before the 3-0 semi-final triumph.

“There was a lot of pressure because of the significance of the game. If we’d lost, the treble treble was gone and the great Cup record was gone.

“So, it was really important to negotiate that.”

A week of speculation on the job rolled out names such as Roberto Martinez, Andre Villas-Boas and Rafa Benitez increased the pressure on Lennon.

Despite Desmond’s attempts to dismiss the speculation, however, the billionaire businessman offered no long-term guarantees.

The caretaker gaffer added: “He’s a tough man. He is very demanding, but that’s why he is who he is. Again, I’ve had no guarantees, no reassurances, no promises.

“I’m here to do a job and I’m taking it game by game.

“I’m older now, I can take all the noise. Maybe 10 years ago I would have got upset or annoyed about it. But not now.

“If the club perceives the best way forward is to go somewhere else, then who am I to argue with that?

“I’ve only been here two months. I’m enjoying it.

“To a certain degree it’s difficult because you are inheriting a very good team who were going well.

“You don’t want to spoil that, so it’s been a real balancing act for me on a personal level.

“But it’s a good experience. It’s a good challenge – really different pressure to what I’ve experienced before in my career.”

Asked if he feels he now deserves the job, Lennon responded: “That’s for other people to decide. Then I’ve got a decision, as well.”