Neil Lennon era ends

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Neil Lennon ‘got’ Celtic.  He was a rookie appointment, and the early weeks were far from comfortable, a Hampden defeat to Ross County looked like an ominous early sign, but from the start of his first preseason he didn’t look back.

He was a hugely successful Celtic manager in Scotland and in Europe.  The Barcelona team of the last six years, possibly the greatest team in history, were at their peak when they visited Celtic Park in November 2012. Neil came up with the game plan which brought Celtic victory and raised our profile across Europe.

What he had to endure off-field during his time at Celtic was atrocious and a blight on our society.  But he overcame it.  He stuck it out when you or I may have left, and now he leaves on his own terms – an undisputed winner.

More at another time on who next, but if we get a man nearly as capable we will be doing well.

Take care, Neil.

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  1. BRTH,

     

     

    I was speaking to my Dad today about the barber in Springfield Road. He remembered one near to Parkhead Cross but couldn’t remember the name. He himself used to go to a shop on London Road near Springfield Road run by 2 bluenoses with whom he used to have a good bit of banter. Sorry, I couldn’t be of more help.

  2. Thunder Road on

    ‘gg

     

     

    Thank you.

     

     

    Was just about to have a wee rant :(

     

     

    It is great to hear he is keeping well and i feel the same.

     

     

    Davie still has so much to offer.

  3. ‘chooky’ indeed…

     

     

    ah well nice to get insulted for supporting your club. I may not always agree with the direction we take and various personalities and policies will come and go but we are Celtic.

  4. neganon2

     

     

    17:08 on 22 May, 2014

     

     

    Neganon – would you describe yourself as a glass half empty person or a Glass Smashed on the Floor and Kicked All Over the Place type guy? Your negativity is so extreme it’s funny.

  5. Up-Over_Goal & tomthetim

     

     

    Cheers, a rare easy ride for me.

     

     

    UOG – we’re such a smart and impressive club right now, with plenty of scope to improve, and when we’re so good at so many things it’s depressing when these days come along. It’s not even the lack of big signings that get’s me down, after all we get used to that and I can’t think of too many that will count as legends. It’s the people we can no longer retain.

     

    Obviously I could be wrong, but I think Lennon wanted to give us 5-10 years, not 3-5. He wanted to leave a mark and right now there’s nothing to leave a mark on.

     

     

    Any mis-directed ire is no big deal for Celtic, it’s not really costing us the way it costs Rangers. Except, I have a rising panic about our options for the future. We’re just clinging on to credibility, whilst our league has lost all, and we’re performing a fiscal miracle whilst our league is bankrupt, and on the park we’re producing something that is totally out of proportion to the league we inhabit.

     

    Lennon both afforded us credibility and has been able to maintain an interest in the team that other managers could struggle with.

     

     

    We could be in the midst of disaster, and facing no future without the clubs vision and without the clever management of Lennon. Now we face a small gamble, relatively speaking, and if it pays off we just get more avoiding the almost inevitable diminution of our club, if it doesn’t we will enter a period of downsizing that few will be able to bear.

     

     

    It may be time to take the biggest gamble of all and test the resolve of UEFA, the EPL and everyone else by applying to another league and resigning from our own. We’re not a long way from having nothing left to lose. Nothing we care much about anyway.

  6. Richie

     

     

    Well… Ah Soitenly ur No Going. Tae New Orleans.

     

     

    Ask..

     

     

    RWE. mebbe,he is..

     

     

    Kojo

  7. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    paul67

     

     

    17:15 on 22 May, 2014

     

    I’m speaking to that nice David Currie on Reporting Scotland after 6:30. No idea what we’ll discuss.

     

    ………………………………………..

     

    Look out for his thumb and forefinger jab and flailing right arm!

  8. Key jungle

     

     

    If it was not for the chookys you would not have a team not to support.

     

     

    Why not not support a team who do not have chookys that support them?

     

     

    You would be so happy.

     

     

    Treating Celtic supporters with such disdain tells the world what a chooky you really are.

  9. The biggest embarrassment to this country which professes to be multi cultural will NEVER be forgotten !

     

    NFL was attacked LIVE on television and the culprit was deemed NOT PROVEN by a Scottish Jury !!!

     

    WHY ? We all know Why !!

     

    It’s a SHAME that this country will never shake off !!

     

    Good luck wee fella you will always be a Top Tim .

  10. west of ireland csc on

    thanks neil for all you done for us

     

    but its hard to blame him for eventually leaving scotland after the abuse he got from loyalist racists during his time as celtic manager

  11. The Original Sadie’s Bhoy

     

     

    Hiya, Teach.. ?

     

    NIce tae Greet Ye.

     

     

    Thanks fur the Further Info..

     

     

    Well.. As ye say.. Ah Do Not Know the Guy..

     

     

    But…

     

     

    Ah jist read that He is..

     

     

    Clickity Click.. Man!.. That’s a Too Auld.. Fur Me ..

     

     

     

    Is He that Auld.. or Hiv A Goat a Wrang Number.

     

     

    Nice Chatting..

     

     

    Kojo

  12. kojo

     

     

    17:14 on 22 May, 2014

     

     

    Never heard of him!

     

     

    Davie Hay wanted to sign him for us but was told we could not afford him, £350k. Davie told to pay for him out his own pocket! Something’s never change our Board still will not pay the going rate for a Player. Clarke was not treated well at WBA, he is a great Coach and our Board like him and his attributes, FACT.

     

     

    I will make you a small wager, Jackie McNamara will not be our next Manager, why, he ain’t what we are looking for, simple as!

     

     

    What’s not to like.

     

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  13. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    Celtic MUST appoint a new manager without delay …………………………………. or TOSB will suffer from insomnia until they do.

  14. Jeg er Neil Lennon-Greeninbingley on

    Sitting in a hotel room in Bradford, getting drunk.

     

     

    Thank you Neil, for all the years of commitment and passion, and thank you for all the memories I will take with me to my grave.

     

     

    It sounds ridiculous to thank a man for living through four years during which he and his family were under siege, threatened with words, bombs and bullets, when he was beaten unconscious in the street, when he and his family had to endure frequently being woken at 2am by police and being taken to a safe house because of “real and present threats”. In Glasgow, Scotland, in the 21st century.

     

     

    Meanwhile in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 21st century, a man runs on to the Tynecastle playing surface and assaults him in full view of the crowd and the millions watching on TV. Verdict: Not Proven.

     

     

    It was on Neil’s watch when the unthinkable (to the Scottish establishment) happened: Rangers Football Club were liquidated. Died. Ceased to be. Became an Ex-Obnoxious Apartheid Anachronism.

     

     

    I know how I have felt since, watching the Scottish Establishment bully, browbeat, lie, lie and lie again, tie itself into knots and rip up its own rulebooks in order to drag the swaggering Fleg-bearers of the culture of Protestant supremacy away from the guillotine.

     

     

    I know how I felt – Imagine how HE felt? The standard-bearers of the sectarian Scottish culture that sent him bullets, and threatened his family, and left him unconscious and bleeding on a pavement… And even his own chairman joins the hand-wringing hordes in bleating about ‘how much we miss them’.

     

     

    I have no idea why Neil called it quits today. For all I know it has nothing to do with the above. But I do know that he is a hundred times the man I am, and I could not have endured a hundredth of what he has had to deal with.

     

     

    So thanks, Neil Francis Lennon. Thanks for putting our club back on its feet, and then some, thanks for the three, thanks for the Barcelona night and all the other European rollercoasters, thanks for being the manager who ushered the Toxic Rangers into their own eternal fires.

     

     

    Above all, thanks for the message that bullies don’t win.

  15. Evening all.

     

     

    Good luck to NL.

     

     

    If Owen Coyle joins Celtic, I will join the masons.

     

     

    Someone mentioned Bilic. Has his record been good recently?

  16. François-Marie Arouet was clearly no revisionist in a light blue jersey.

     

     

    “What is history? The lie that everyone agrees on…”

     

     

    ― Voltaire

     

     

    “History never repeats itself. Man always does.”

     

     

    ― Voltaire

     

     

    HH

  17. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Herve Renard ,who a couple of bhoys posted about is as low as 6/1 for the job now,me neither.

  18. My Dear, Dear, Dear, Friend.. The Singing Detective.

     

     

    Ah still Maintain that

     

     

     

    Jackie Mac.. Should be oor Next Manager..

     

     

    He Ticks awe the Radio Buttons..

     

     

    So we hiv a Disagreement oan this Yin..,’

     

     

    Not tae worry.. Nae Big Deal..

     

     

    Nice tae chat,pal.. as alwiz..

     

     

    Kojo

  19. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    Kojo

     

     

    Davie Hay is clickety click but I don’t think Stevie Clarke is. In fact I’ve just checked on Wiki and he’s only 50.

  20. All the platitudes are very nice.Lenny deserves every one of them.I loved the man.

     

    What I dont like is the blindness of some fans.What are we,Huns?.Is it any wonder Lenny left.He wanted to keep Sammi.Sammi wanted to stay.That could be the straw that did the proverbial.

     

    We will see in the 2 months before the CLQ,just how much ambition this board have.

     

    I have no qualms with the transfer strategy,but FFS,at least try and give your manager a chance.It must be soul destroying.

     

    I will await further developments

  21. A Ceiler Gonof Rust @ 16:23

     

     

    The first criteria in determining who should fill lenny’s boots is that its got to be someone who spat on or wiped their arse with a hun scarf or top. My C.V. is on the way Mr Lawwell.

     

     

    ACGR – thanks mhate. Raised a much-needed smile!

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  22. eddieinkirkmichael on

    Malky Mackay managerial record to date

     

     

     

    Team From To Record

     

    G W D L Win %

     

    Watford (caretaker) 4 Nov 08 24 Nov 08 5 2 1 2 40.00

     

    Watford 15 June 09 17 June 11 99 33 25 41 33.33

     

    Cardiff City 17 June 11 27 Dec 13 125 54 37 34 43.20

     

    Total 229 89 63 77 38.86

  23. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    If Owen Coyle is ever appointed Celtic manager i’m going on a long vacation.

  24. Grant of the Herald talking, on Radio Scotland, of the pressures Neil Lennon was under here. No mention whatever of the sectarian hatred heaped upon him. Ragtag.

  25. Statement of Intent by board now on new gaffer:

     

     

    Still adhere to the business plan but show the supporters an ambitious appointment.

     

     

    Time to think outside the box . Roma done it with Rudi Garcia and they are reaped the rewards this season.

     

     

    My shortlist would have Laudrup, Montella, Van Basten , Rijkaard , Clarke, Van Marwijk and Hoddle on it.

     

     

    Laudrup, Van Marwijk, Rijkaard, Clarke and Hoddle out of work just now and no compensation.

     

     

    Van Hasten at Herrenveen and Montella at Fiorentina. Montella will get a crack at a big club some time in future.

     

     

    Youngsters at Celtic would thrive having a guy like Hoddle take over.

  26. eddieinkirkmichael

     

     

    Did you not say last week your source had told you Lenny was going ?

     

    If so has your source any info on successor ?

  27. LennyBhoy

     

     

    So ye ur Gung Ho ..oan Mr. Clarke..

     

     

    well..Like Ye say..

     

     

    Ah hiv Nevah Hoid o’ the Guy…

     

     

     

    No Doot he wiz A Great Player, jist like ye Claim…

     

     

    Wan that Goat Away..

     

     

    But.. whit Has Him being A Great Player hiving Anything tae dae wi..

     

     

    Your Claim that He wull Mak a Great Manager..

     

     

    As far as Ah kin tell. from whit Ah Hiv bin Informed,oan Here. as tae his

     

    Past Managerial Achievements..

     

     

    Ah Kin Find NOT WAN THING in his Managerial Record which Could Back up

     

    Your Claim.

     

     

    Noo..

     

     

    Jackie Mac has a Damn Fine Record o Past n Present Achievements whilst wearing the Managerial Habit…

     

     

    Sure, Jackie is Raw. but… so wiz Neil..

     

     

    Ah Repeat.. fur Effect…

     

     

    n..’

     

     

    Jackie, wull Come Cheeply!

     

     

    N

     

     

    A Guy Who Kin Be Got oan the Cheep..is Always Sweet Music tae Celtic’s ears..

     

     

    Ko

  28. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Oh dear

     

     

    Now we’re ‘ thinking out of the box’

     

     

    I’d settle for ‘ we are thinking really, really hard’

  29. If any o’ the “Donegauloise”………….. are lookin’ in……………could they please nobble Oweny’s grannies fax line?

     

     

    Please!

     

     

    Thanks in advance.

  30. excathedra44 on

    TheOriginalSadiesBhoy

     

    17:13 on

     

    22 May, 2014

     

    Re. Stevie Clarke. If Jack McGinn had allowed Davie Hay to sign Stevie Clarke and Joe McLaughlin from Chelsea -instead of telling the media that Davie would have to pay for them out of his own pocket if he wanted them – then the Souness revolution would have been strangled at birth. We had a 9 point lead at the time but the team ran out of steam.

     

    ===========================================================

     

     

    Well remembered,thats exactly what happened,add to that Jack’s reluctance to sign McAvennie from St.Mirren to replace Nicholas, and you have a shambles re decision making.

     

     

    Regarding Neil’s departure.

     

     

    I have to confess I am not surprised,as I said some time ago I believed he was keeping his options open but to set his sights at the level of Norwich is a backward step………….in my opinion.

     

     

    What he has done by resigning, whilst awaiting the “Public” approach he so desired, is akin to placing an advert of his availability.

     

     

    Did he really want out so badly? Fresh Challenge??………..Nonsense.

     

     

    Ah well,

     

    Thanks for some great memories,and some frustrations,I fear however, that as many have found out previously, his star rating is more about where he is, than who he is.

     

     

    PS NO. to Henrik,Jackie,Lambert,Moyes,Malky,Big Mick,Stark,McGhee

     

     

    Maybees. Coyle,Clarke,Houston,Keane,Wieghorst All in some capacity 1st or 2nd.

  31. Richie

     

     

    Still working on New Orleans, but it would be later in the week only as I have house guests/lodgers from Scotland till June 5 :o(

     

     

    A stretch at the moment.

     

     

    FailingtoPlan CSC

  32. Geordie Munro on

    “But PL will appoint someone he can control,as is the norm now”

     

     

     

    Exactly Bada.

     

     

     

    There’s not a walk of life where someone employs someone else who they believe to be uncontrollable.

     

     

    Celtic are no different.

  33. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    WGS, with all due respect I’m sure our supporters with disabilities would be delighted to have Glen Hoddle as manager – not!

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