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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Delaneys dunkey
What u say to them ?
B.B.C. blurb.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27519596
Says he was concerned about his budget,but no back-up quotes.
Can we believe the B.B.C.?
HH
You just know,right now, the sleekit pie muncher,Sally,is thinking…
I wonder…..should I apply?
GIRUY Sally
NFL destroyed your club…
HH
If he’s leaving because of the samaras situation hope the door dosent hit his arse on the way out.
Neil Lennon is a Celtic legend
Winning player
Winning captain
Winning manager
HH
Not surprised at todays news
Neil leaves with all our thanks and best wishes as a true Celtic great
Thanks & Good luck
GBNFL
Been off the blog for 24 hours and all hell breaks loose.
Surprised Lenny has left at the end of this season but not shocked – have felt the possibility has been on the cards these past 6 months. Thought he would be here for another year.
He must feel the time is right for him to make the move – where to I’ve no idea.
He goes with my thanks and best wishes!
H!H!
Just heard the news. Very sad to see Neil go.
Is this the next part of the plan…to have a useless few years under a crap new guy so that Sevco can catch up?
I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
Shocked and very sad.
Something about it just stinks imo. Simply doesn’t feel right. If he really wanted to leave, and didn’t feel he had to quit, it would surely feel more ‘planned’, and Neil would have been involved in helping to pick who might replace him.
Only a very short while ago, he was talking about new players and a meeting with Peter. Now he has left before that meeting even took place? It’s too strange for me. If it was planned, then surely there official website would already have something to say. But it seems like they will have to make up something rather hastily, as Paul has had to do!
That just seems totally wrong to me. Neil should be parting on good terms, but it all seems rather sudden. Sad he has gone, but very dissappointed at what seems like dreadful top level management from those in charge of the club.
Hope I am wrong, and this is just a sort of knee-jerk reaction. But something just doesn’t feel right about this. Very worrying.
Matt McGlone just tweeted
NL left Glasgow on a flight to London city airport an hour ago.. More to follow ?
HH
1. Sammi – maybe not too far off the mark with his earlier quotes via the media.
2. Is KC going to get a new contract?
3. FF will be sold aftere world cup.
4. VVD will be sold at first decent offer.
3&4 above likely to happen in middle of Champions Leauge qualifying campaign.
5. limited % guarantee of sales for replacements.
6. Quality coming through not up to standard of those likely to go,
Hmmmmm! Wonder if I’d jump hamstrung by all that.
Please note. the above is not factual but just a collision of my grey matter attempting to put together a plausible reason for NL leaving when he could have went on to become Celtics greatest manager in our history winning 10 in a row.
Oh wait. I forgot.
No. bloody 7. The bigots. That’s the one.
MWD says Aye
Neil Francis Lennon has decided to call it a day as Celtic Manager but Neil “got” Celtic, he was one of us and always will be.
Despite League titles, financial stability and some fantastic European adventures we all know that to much of the Scottish establishment and a fair portion of the population We, Celtic will always be regarded as an underclass.
Neil faced down the prejudice, racism and bigotry each and every day he went to work for the last three years, for that he deserves our respect and gratitude. Bombs bullets and assaults should have no place in the day to day management of a football team.
Good luck to Neil and his family.
Moyes’ odds shortening with a few bookies
Shocked at this news, really didn’t see it coming. Neil was one of the best of recent decades. Will be sorely missed. Thank you Neil for all the good times!
Raman Bhardwaj @STVRaman
Just spoken to Henrik Larsson re Celtic job: ‘I can see myself back at Celtic, whether it’s now or in future , time will tell.”
12:45 PM – 22 May 2014
Davie moyes anyone?
Nothing on Celtic site as of 30 seconds ago.
Somebody caught by surprise?
Had this been handled properly then it would have been announced first there.
It suggests the club is not in control
lenny
for me, lennys best achievements in Scotland was that he refused to bow to the scum element that roams free in Scotland
This characteristic made him IMO a man who stood stronger than most other men
God Bless Neil Lennon
he never bowed down, sat at the back of the bus
Delighted to see Neil leave intact, head held high, and he can now forget all about the sectarian issues that have stalked him since he signed up for Celtic, whichever club he manages next I’ll be a fan of that club. He’ll get a break from all the saddos and weirdoes that plagued him up here and when he’s older and a wee bit wiser, he’ll be back, wouldn’t surprised to see him reInstated as manager for the 10 in a row season.
“kover all entrances to Celtic Park,
and with deadly force repel anything resembling a Boaby
Williamson..”
‘GG
13:25 on
22 May, 2014
Interesting.
macjay1 for neil lennon 13:22
If Chris McLaughlin told me today was Thursday, I’d buy a Daily Ranger to check….
Or maybe not
NOOOOOO!!! :-(
We know that Dermot Desmond is very persuasive on the golf course
Therein lies the answer
Surprised and disappointed to see Neil leave. He is a Celtic man through and through. I feel he will come to regret this decision but wish him all the very best in wherever he lands.
There’s a glut of quality managers out there so it’s going to be an interesting time ahead. Please not Henrik Larsson. He will do as a #2.
We had a thunderstorm much of last night.
Kept me awake half the night.
Now I know the Big Man upstairs was throwing his furniture around when he found out St Francis was quitting his post as head of the Celtic Church.
I watched McLaughlin on the Beeb and listened to Charlie Nic on Sky.
I think this and mibbe it’s because of that…………a load of imaginary tosh.
Where ever Neill goes,will Sammi follow?
Watch out for sevco planting a bad news story later today.
Good Luck NFL
ernie lynch 13:09 on 22 May, 2014
“Why do I get the feeling that while we are looking at the European qualifiers the board are looking at the the return of the old firm?”
To be fair – few people on here go on about the ‘Old Firm’ as much as you do.
Any manager that goes to a lower Premiership club has a 50% chance of being sacked within the first season.
More sense for him to go to Norwich rather than WBA.
If rookie manager Henrik gets the job I’ll be gutted as it will confirm my worst fears re the board and their balance sheet strategy being the only show in town
Wow. Earth-shattering scoop from Matt McGlone there. Did he happen to notice what colour of socks Lenny was wearing? Cos, that can be very significant.
Thank you Neil from the bottom of my heart for all you achieved on the pitch, and the manner in which you conducted yourself off it, which was always with courage and dignity, whilst a relentless racist, prejudiced campaign was waged against you.
Ultimately you shamed and defeated those who conspired against you to bring you down for who you are, and what you are, and what you believe in, by staying true to your beliefs and values.
Wherever you go and whatever you do you do it with my best wishes.
Hold your head high – ‘something inside so strong’ – yep and then some!
I couldn’t sleep last night. I wonder if this nightmare crept into my subconcious …
Is it just me that really doesnt want Henke back as manager?
I want my memories of Henrik to stay as they are – biblical.
So much so, that I would prefer he didnt come back to manage (unless he had been a roaring success elsewhere and we knew with much more certainty than we do now that it would work).
Moonbeams – your post was very close to my opinion
The guys brief was untenable – he couldnt keep doing and finding what he has done, build a team then watch it be dismantled and only handed a fraction back to go and do it all over again.
And he finishes with “more to follow”, You know, just like a REAL reporter.
This should have been the season the club was going for the 10th league title on the spin,only they let them hun monkeys off the hook in 2009.
However if they appoint either Steve Clarke, Malky Mackay or Davie Moyes I’ll be delighted.