NEIL LENNON has revealed he would be open to a return to Celtic.
The Irishman, who led Bolton to a goalless draw against Liverpool in the FA Cup at Anfield, admitted he is still emotionally attached to the Hoops.
Lennon, who left the SPFL champions in the summer, said: “There’s no question I would go back.
“I’m not saying it will ever happen, but if the opportunity came along and I was ready for it, I wouldn’t have any hesitation.
“There is a huge part of me that will always have an affinity with the club.
“It was tumultuous, it was exciting, it was breathtaking at times, it was everything you wanted it to be.
“There were scenes you could never replicate in your life at any other club or any other environment.
“I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to be the manager of Celtic and to have been successful in doing so.
“As a player, games against Rangers were good, but as a manager, no.
“They’re very fraught, because they mean everything to win the game for so many people.
“I always remember Walter Smith saying: ‘You’ll feel relief when you win it and you’ll feel as flat as a pancake when you lose.’.
Lennon admitted the intensity of a Glasgow derby left him drained.
He added: “The build-up is weeks in advance. And even at times during the games your stomach is still in knots.
“I remember being 3-0 up one day at Celtic Park with 15 minutes to go and thinking: ‘If they get one, they could get back into this’.
“You only really feel that relief when the final whistle goes. What you want to do is lie down and have a bit of a break.
“This next one coming up (sic) is going to be the biggest one because it’s the first one in three years and it will mean so much to both sets of supporters.
“It may not be the classic Celtic v Rangers games (as it is a new fixture) we’re used to, with the quality on the pitch, but in terms of the significance of the game, it’s fascinating.”
