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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GCT @ 8.01
You could well be right.
Everything about Neil Lennon’s departure suggests it was planned, and probably planned for some time.
The ole Glasgow goldfish bowl is well stocked with piranhas.
Woke up this morning feeling like a guy who had just broken up with his long time partner. Whether he was the greatest tactician or not whether he was complicit in signing a few duds or not doesn’t matter a whit to me. He was one of us, he was attacked, threatened and sent parcel bombs , because he was one of us.. He stood strong against the bigots and will forever be remembered for that. Neil Francis Lennon you are a Celtic Legend, I salute you and wish you every happiness and good luck wherever you go. Election Day here, anything above 17% will make me happy, Sinn Féin Abú.
brogan rogan trevino and hogan supports oscar knox, mackenzie furniss and anyone else who fights neuroblastoma
08:34 on 23 May, 2014
Good Morning.
Here is a statement of fact — not a prediction — a statement of fact!
You are being played. I am being played. WE are being played
Aye,by Peter Lawwell.
Yeah I agree with GCT the prospect of taking on the revived huns with a budget less than Sally gets and watching their inevitable and corrupt procession of the huns winning the SPL the year after next while the bubbly is cracked open in the Celtic boardroom. Neil Lennon wants no part of. History will tell us that he bowed out at the point when the WWF pantomime took over the play. Sally whispering in his ear again at the next Derby unbowed while our plc done nothing but to facilitate and encourage that revival while lining their own pockets, will not be lost on him.
He is only one year ahead of thousands of others in walking out on Celtic. A leader on and off the pitch.
HH
I am pretty sure that many people, think to themselves, just about every working day,
“One day I am going to just pack it all in, for no other reason than I have just had enough.”
Perhaps that is the truth for NFL.
God knows he has endured more than most of us could.
Whatever you do Neil, good luck and thanks for everything.
BRTH, and yet, today, many thousands of Celtic supporters will buy a newspaper and spend hours reading the BBC.
Well said.
PinchofsaltCSC
Hi Ho.
Hail Hail the Celts are Here :-)
Make it happen Celts.
Henriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik.
Frank McGarvie looked ill, talked tripe and really should learn to say no any press enquiries. HH.
That goes for the rest of them too.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
08:34 on
23 May, 2014
That’s entirely consistent with what I’ve heard. Although I do believe there’s an element of NL wanting a bit more control of ins and outs. However, the personal side of it cannot and should not be dismissed. I don’t recall ever hearing of a manager anywhere else in the world requiring long term 24hr security.
Anybody that thinks that had the board bent to his every wish he’d have stuck around for 10 in a row is deluded. At best he’d have lasted an extra season or two. For his own health and well being I’m glad he’s made an escape. I’d have liked to see him do well in Europe again though and win a treble.
Gold Coast Tom
08:11 on
23 May, 2014
antipodean red –
Rudd,Julia and now Shorten.
Perhaps you feel these are better alternatives.
Thank god the smart Aussie electorate disagree.
Awe Naw, You are one depressing bloke to read. A, Rangers are Dead B. The present incarnation I believe they are known as The Rangers are none too well, prognosis not too good. If they recover or if the next tribute Act potentially The Loan Rangers emerge so bloody what. Are you afraid of them?. F**k them and all that goes with them, we are Celtic Supporters, lets just Support Celtic.
Brogan
08.34
Great post.
Corkcelt I find you depressing when just continually call the rest of us depressing for facing reality…..
BRTH.
But why would they print the truth?
They wouldn’t sell any papers or generate clicks or get quoted on other websites.
Nobody is interested in the truth, only their version of events
Good morning,
Having now had a night to reflect and think of who will come in I have come to the conclusion we will go for the safe option but who is the safe option!
Personally and nothing to base this on, I think it will be somebody that is currently unemployed.
A name thrown at me this morning as somebody that would do a job is Murat Yakin. I stress it was not in the context that he has been linked but did a fantastic job with Basle.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
BRTH
That’s a great insightful post, that little sentence, very archerish.
Pathetic at best and disgraceful by habit.
Brilliantly put.
Brth .
Well said ,” the truth is out there “.Its just not in the papers or msm outlets .
Most not all but most of us Celtic fans believe that Neils private (aye right ) life would have been a major factor in moving on.
If you left a job because you believed you were held back for whatever reason be it financial or interfering in your day today planning , would you then go to Lisbon the following day with the same people .
NFL thanks mate and i hope you and your family can rid yourselves of the bigots once and for all.
Anyone who had to put up with his family being moved in the middle of the night for safety reasons and come out of it a winner is aces in my book,
somethinginsidesostrong, just about covers it .
H.H.
BRTH
I honestly think most, in fact almost all Celtic supporters , will be aware of that. Whoever gets the job will be perfectly well aware of the restrictions Celtic operate under. They will know there is an equation in place, which basically says income will be greater than, or equal to outgoings.
Any other equation would be foolish to some extent, and foolish in the extreme in some cases. There is evidence all over Europe, and obviously much closer to home, to support that.
For me, managing expectation is the key challenge to any football board nowadays. I truly believe even those posters on here who are perceived to be the most negative, do accept there has to be a sense of realism applied to their thinking.
If you accept that the budget has to be managed accordingly, and as I say, I believe most of us do, then it becomes critical that the use of what funds are available, are managed wisely, to attempt to meet the aforementioned expectations of the people who are most important, the paying customers.
I don’t mean simply by the number of trophies collected, I mean by the style of football, and also the way in which the custodians ensure they act accordingly in ensuring the interests of the club and supporters are micro managed by challenging discrimination, favouritism, rule manipulation etc etc.
I think the board would be cut more slack if the fans felt that this was happening. The discontent felt by those who feel this is not happening, and there are many, manifests itself in a level of apathy, anger and frustration which results in literally, tens of thousands of empty seats.
Dermot Desmond’s comments re deadco stuck in the craw of many, and trying to sell it to us as him being ‘PC’ irritates even more. Given the way we are treated and portrayed by the authorities, MSM, law enforcement bodies etc, they can shove their PC up their arse.
Time to stand up for the support, the club, the future.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
08:34 on 23 May, 2014
‘You are being played.’
##
You?
Not we?
We are being played by all involved. By Neil Lennon ‘and those close to him’, by the Board ‘and those close to them’ and by the media.
NegAnon2. Obviously we have a different perception of what is reality. My concept is that we have just won our third Title in a row and will be competing in Europe next July, I am supremely confident that we will also win the next 3 Titles, please forgive me for being pleased about that.
Corkcelt,
No.
I am only interested in fairness and honesty and that’s not corruptible by money. On and off the field. That is why my parents brought me up Catholic. Even Celtic plc needs to adhere to that rather than being the living breathing antithesis of it.
BTW it is depressing reading I agree but O have been highly accurate these last 10 years on the blog it is that predictable.
I don’t come on a debating forum to cheerlead.
When our plc start acting in a Celtic minded way. See my first sentence. I will cheerlead more often.
HH
BRTH I completely agree we are being played. I agree that a significant reason for NL departure may be the treatment he has received in this sordid little country (I hope you are paying attention Billy Bhoy05).
I also agree that the media are completely biased and corrupt and hate celtic. That is because of the institutional sectarianism evident within Scotland.
However, there is no doubt that NL is being asked to play with a smaller and smaller hand and that this was a major contributor to his decision making. Managerial reputation is vital and celtic were asking NL to put his on the line to support the vision of celtic (which appears to be about saving up money).
Celtic are treating all of us with contempt and I am disgusted at the timing of this announcement. They waited till they had our season ticket money. They are downsizing again. PL is the real one who is playing us BRTH. We are in a race to the bottom.
BRTH
Couldn’t argue with that at all and I guess 10 years of CQN hasn’t dented many of our fans appetite to go to these publications and have their views formed. Which is a shame as this purpose statement attracted me here for that reason. Pragmatically, as the following quote from WC last week below proves CQN is happy to play ball at times with the msm rightfully vilified this am.
“We thought long and hard about allowing them to have a serialisation. We thought we should do so as we need to reach the supporters who aren’t online.”
There’s a debate to be had in there somewhere but it got carefully diverted into a sensational ‘poster attacks Celtic legend’ so the moment was lost.
Anyway, goodbye Neil and thanks for the memories. Played against him as a teenager when he was at Lurgan Celtic and the club will always be a huge part of his life. Makes the summer more interesting I guess.
Big Wavy
Gordon Waddell summed up the smsm role in the Neil Lennon story.
A deflection from the truth by the old balancing act…’ old firm managers have that problem, where they need to be careful where they go’.
And to top it off…’Larsson would fill the many empty seats’.
Waddell typically used the Lennon Special on Stv to stick two cheap shots in for the cause.
McGlone and Galloway called it, and well done to them.
Neil Lennon did not leave a football club, he was hunted out of a country. I doubt this applies to any other manager in the history of World football.
Scotland’s shame is deeply ingrained.
Corkcelt we should be winning the SPFL as we have no credible competition. We will not qualify for the CL this year as our ambition is simply to win the SPFL.
That’s nothing to crow about
BRTH
Good morning from County Donegal, on tour.
Not very interestingly watched BBC NI`s coverage of Neil`s announcement. It was a pi.. poor piece and finished on the spat with Fatsally.They pander to the lowest and simplest and explain it as cultural context,DOH !
Thank you Neil for your intelligence , skill and fortitude.
HH
BRTH
To be honest, we have known this for years.
I just can’t understand why we give these guys any credence whatsoever.
Don’t buy the crap they write either financially or by even discussing it.
Just ignore them completely.
Getting all worked up and agitated by their drivel just feeds their egos.
If the sad Bs across the city want to swallow swallow their crap let them.
Let them wallow wallow in their self inflicted pain.
Love to debate longer but there is work to be done today.
“And We’ll have little Children and rear them neat * plain,
To shout Up the Republic and to talk about Sinn Féin,
To emulate their Oul Fella who’s England’s Laws defied
and to turn their guns against those English Huns
Down by the Liffeyside.”
Awe Naw, Ernie, neganon
All posted within 3 minutes of each other. Probably regarded on here as 3 of the most outspoken, vociferous anti board posters on CQN.
For me, 3 of the biggest Celtic supporters who frequent this board, and who have the best interests of the future of Celtic fc at heart.
I don’t see Neil Lennon taking a job in the EPL until the first sacking around September.
He has the World Cup to enjoy and a book to write.
I would imagine there are a lot of worried people in Scotland right now.
LB
Very Final word NegAnon, not crowing about winning Titles just happy about it. See ye’s all later.
Larrson and weighorst.
The (simple ) mind of a hun…
Lennon left because Celtic are in heavy debt, won’t make the champions league and are ready to be hit with the state aid charge FACT
Hahaha
Gold Coast Tom @ 03.32 & 08.01 hrs.
Two thought provoking posts.
As a parent, of course the personal safety of NFL’s family was a major influence on his decision. Anyone or any media outlet who thinks otherwise is deluded.
I think you are correct, the need for a domestic challenge is self explanatory, however when that challenge materialises it brings the prospect of minders for the school run.
Can anybody on here seriously think that would not be a major if not the main reason for his departure.?
No doubt many will view Neil’s departure as a warped victory having eventually forced him out..
Well let it be a pyrrhic victory. Pastures new is increasingly the only option.
The feeling of being gutted is now turning to anger.
HH, always in Celtic
NegAnon2
09:06 on
23 May, 2014
I mostly agree with most of that. Timing wise though I just don’t think there’s ever a good time for these kind of things. Mid-season – this place would be filled with ‘why let him stay get the new guy in’ and ‘don’t get the new guy in, let him see out the season’ and so on.
Personally my seat is bought regardless of the team and manager.