BRENDAN RODGERS insists Neil Lennon will not be without job offers if he leaves Hibs.
The Celtic boss believes his fellow-Irishman, who was suspended by the Easter Road outfit on Friday, could walk into a new post.
Lennon missed the 3-1 Premiership win over St Mirren in Paisley yesterday following an alleged training ground bust-up. He sat out the Saints encounter along with his long-term assistant Gary Parker following a meeting with the Edinburgh outfit’s chief executive Leeann Dempster.
Eddie May, the club’s Head of Academy, and his assistant Grant Murray were in charge as the team came back from a goal down to pick up three points.
Rodgers, preparing his players for the midweek visit of St Johnstone, remarked: “You are always disappointed and, of course, there is no resolution yet to the situation. Of course, you are always sad.
“I know Neil pretty well and I know how good a manager he is and what he puts into his life as a football manager and what a very good tactician he is.
“The thing with Neil is he is not interested in being second best.
THE WAY AHEAD…Neil Lennon in the Hibs dug-out.
“He has been in the game all his life as a player and as a manager and coach to be the best he can be.
“He will only ever want to be the best. He galvanised Hibs when he went in there and showed consistently what a fantastic job he has done there.
“So, if they end up parting the way, then, of course, it will be very disappointing and it would be a sad end to what has been a really successful time there.
“There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that we are not privy to.
“But I have a lot of respect for him, I did as a player and have done as a manager.
“He is a good man who loves the game in general, a real thoughtful, very intelligent guy and I am sure if it did come to an end at Hibs that he would walk into another job.”
There are already reports Hibs are likely to sound out former Hoops gaffer Gordon Strachan about the post.
The veteran manager has been out of football since leaving the Scotland international set-up in October 2017.
Stand-in coach May has said he is not interested in taking the role in a full-time capacity.
