Neil Lennon's Celtic Roar On

Time to ask for forgiveness? Apologise for being a doubter? Time to all hail, hail Neil Lennon?

Back in December I predicted that Lennon’s reign as Celtic manager was facing a January of intense scrutiny, a month that could shape the destiny of his managerial career:

“I wrote after the Old Firm game that Lennon was displaying a worrying habit of losing big games as manager. He was failing the critical tests.”

Now that we’re heading into February we must acknowledge that Neil Lennon and his Celtic players have roared into the New Year.

An unexpectedly straight forward win at Ibrox on the 2nd of January set the tone. The only blip on the pitch came in a tempestuous draw at Hamilton.

Off the pitch, the SFA hit Lennon with a six game ban. His appeal is ongoing. Inevitably we will hear more of a storm that has lulled but not yet blown itself out.

But January has been Lennon’s month. Six out of seven games won. A relatively simple win over Rangers, a demolition of an in form Hearts and a place in the final Co-operative Insurance Cup booked.

Seventeen goals scored and just two conceded. That miserly defensive record has been achieved despite a number of injuries to key players.

The already impressive goals tally looks set to improve. Kris Commons has arrived to provide more ammunition and Lennon looks to have struck on an effective pairing up front.

Georgios Samaras claimed both the goals at Ibrox. It was one of the occasional cameos that make the long periods the Greek spends aimlessly meandering on the pitch even more frustrating.

But it is the combined talents of Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper who Lennon will look to power his team to the end of the season.

Stokes was not without his critics, attracting a fair deal of stick as late as the 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park in the second week of January.

But Hooper’s return from injury has allowed Stokes to blossom and prove what a fine goalscorer he can be.

Hooper offers an incisiveness and intelligence up front that Lennon sorely missed when the Englishman was injured. His return in 3-0 win at Easter Road set the tone for a partnership that not even Lennon could have imagined would blend so effectively.

If their double act was not part of his original plan then maybe we can also say that Lennon is carrying a little bit of luck, a crucial requirement for any successful manager.

There is still a lot of football to be played this season. With two games in hand Rangers are only five points behind.

But Lennon’s Celtic are in the driving seat, have forced their rivals into a tiring game of catch-up and established a hugely superior goal difference. It is Celtic who have left January with the momentum.

Faced with a series of challenges that many people, myself included, thought he would struggle to negotiate, Neil Lennon made January a month to remember.

February began with yet another simple win over Aberdeen. It will continue on Sunday with another big game, another huge test as Celtic face Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup. Walter Smith's side make the return trip in the league before the month is out.

Nobody ever said managing an Old Firm side was easy. But January suggests that Neil Lennon might just be getting the hang of it.

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Who is Stuart Baxter?

Update

The Herald now reports that:

Central to the delay in naming the Irishman had been the make-up of Lennon’s backroom team. He is set to be assisted by Alan Thompson, Johan Mjallby and Garry Parker, team-mates from his spells at Celtic and Leicester City respectively.

Despite suggestions that the Finland manager Stuart Baxter would be installed in a director of football position, Herald Sport understands his role will be as more of an advisor not only to Lennon but the club overall.

Baxter has still to negotiate his part-time release from the Finnish Football Association, though, and as things stand he is not part of the management team which will be unveiled today. The Finns will have to soften their opposition to him working for Celtic before any deal can go ahead.

He will remain as manager of the Finish national side, and Lennon is comfortable with the working environment he will find himself in after being named the permanent successor to Tony Mowbray.

The same source reports that as many as ten new players will be shipped in. Garry Parker meanwhile was working as a painter and decorator having previously coached Lennon at Leicester.

Neil and Stuart?

At last Celtic are ready to unveil Neil Lennon as their new manager. An extended audition in the role has turned into a protracted end of season waiting game. I'll admit I jumped the gun announcing his appointment a couple of weeks ago. Although, for once, I was right.

Lennon will be assisted by Johann Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker. A young coaching staff but one that Lennon obviously feels he can trust and rely on.

The extended "will they, won't they" saga that has turned Celtic and Lennon into the SPL's very own Ross and Rachel might be because of the complexities of Tony Mowbray's contract.

But I'm also convinced that there were voices inside Celtic Park who wondered, despite his excellent league run towards the end of the season, if Lennon lacked the experience they needed. Undoubtedly Celtic spent last season in crisis. Is this, as the man said, any time for a rookie?

Which leads us to the most intriguing member of the new set-up. At a press conference tomorrow Celtic will unveil not only Lennon but also Stuart Baxter in an as yet unspecified role that appears to be somewhere between senior advisor and favourite uncle.

Baxter has been linked to a number of Scottish jobs over the years including, at various times, the role that Lennon can now call his own.

But, a season without a game at Dundee United in the mid seventies aside, he has never actually had any professional involvement in the Scottish game.

His father was Scottish and Baxter considers himself a Scot although he was born in England and his playing and managerial career has been peripatetic.

Most closely associated with Scandinavia (he has managed in Sweden and Norway) he has also plied his trade in Portuguese and Japanese club football, with the South African national team, the English under 19s and, in his current and continuing role, as Finland boss.

It's a career that could define the global nature of the game, no job too far away, no club too obscure, for the Brummy born coach. But it is also a career devoid of longevity or stability. And, though his successes include championships and promotions, it is not a career studded with glory.

It might be that Celtic consider Lennon well enough steeped in the SPL to cope with the Scottish game allowing Baxter to advise on the more subtle intricacies of Europe and the general art of management.

I am unaware if Lennon and Baxter know each other although I can't find any likely crossovers in their careers. Given the strength of Lennon's footballing persona I find it strange that he would accept somebody he doesn't know as a mentor. Unless he was given no choice.

I also wonder how satisfied Baxter will be in a role that doesn't appear to have any real forerunner in the British game - Bob Paisley's role with Kenny Dalglish is different as they were both Liverpool men while the role Dalglish was supposed to play at Celtic with John Barnes was a lot more formal.

In the past he has said: "I think it would be important for me to come back to something that's an interesting project." I suppose this could turn out to be exactly that.

On the other hand how interesting is the role of Neil Lennon's big brother likely to be?

Baxter himself speaks glowingly about Roy Hodgson and Arsene Wenger and would seem more at home with their more continental methods than certain Scottish managers might be. You can see why that would appeal to Celtic but how much benefit will they see if Baxter is isolated in a marginal and part time role?

Given his experience and his knowledge of UEFA endorsed coaching methods it might be that Baxter will be on hand to offer advice to Lennon if the manager finds his tactical knowledge or his training ground methods fall short.

That would seem sensible although it does raise questions about why Celtic went down this apparently convoluted route when an experienced manager could have done the job of both men.

I await the press conference with interest and I'll be watching how things develop closely. I can't help feeling, however, that after a rudderless season the powers that be at Celtic Park are about to present the fans with a fudge that might quickly become a muddle.

Lennon strikes lucky

A quick disclaimer: this is all very much unconfirmed at the moment. But it looks as though Neil Lennon is very close to being given the Celtic job permanently.

The Guardian is reporting that a warm recommendation from Martin O'Neill helped convince money man Dermot Desmond that Lennon was the man for the job.

Now The Celtic Underground is reporting that:

As I write this Neil Lennon has just won his final game as temporary Celtic manager. The reason…The next Celtic fixture will be played under the permanent management of Neil Lennon.

On 30th May last year we informed you that a verbal agreement had been reached to appoint Tony Mowbray. Tonight, almost exactly 12 months later, the same source has informed us that nominations committee has unanimously agreed to the appointment of Neil Lennon.

As we have reported on a number of occasions since New Year, Lennon has been at the forefront of the boards thoughts when looking to improve performances on the park. The first indications of the boards faith in Lennon’s ability to turn the clubs on field fortunes around came when the board sought to get Mogga to replace Grant with Neil.

So nothing official yet but it looks very like the job is his to keep.

I wrote last week that I consider the appointment a risk. I stand by that although I concede that he performed admirably as caretaker.

It will be interesting to see who Celtic bring as the experienced hand to help the novice.

The aim is simple: win the league. Lennon knows that better than anyone. Now it's time to prove he's up to the task.

And another thing: I'm also delighted that this will finally put to rest the rumours linking Craig Levein with the job. That would have been a kick in the teeth that Scotland fans do not deserve.

The Lennon conundrum

Old tribal instincts die hard.

Earlier in the week it suddenly looked like there might be a chance of a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition.

Just as suddenly John Reid materialised on the news channels, ensconced in Westminster and on a mission.

Clearly he was finding a marriage of inconvenience with Nick Clegg hard to stomach. More than that, the thought of Alex Salmond playing the Camilla Parker Bowles to Clegg’s Diana went against every belief he’d ever held in that big old head of this.

This episode illustrated two things.

Firstly it confirmed that, whatever else awaits the country, the “new politics” of enforced consensus was beyond the ken of a man who has always mistaken his pretend hard man persona as a refined mastery of the political arts.

And secondly it proved that Celtic’s ongoing search for a new manager has not yet reached the stage where, as Chairman, Reid needs to be actively involved.

I’d say that leaves Neil Lennon as the Gordon Brown of the saga. Still in post, still theoretically in with a shout at holding on but, more realistically, faced with the realisation that this is not his time.

I don’t know what discussions are taking place within Celtic at the moment. More importantly I’ve got no idea of the thought processes of a certain Irish millionaire.

But whatever Dermot Desmond and his acolytes are planning, I’m increasingly drawn to the conclusion that it’s going to involve a firm handshake and a “thanks, but no thanks” for everyone’s favourite baccy chewing former midfielder.

Why?

Ross County game aside (although that remains, in my view, a big consideration) Lennon has done well. He transformed Tony Mowbray’s collection of losers into a team that could win games, albeit at the fag end of a season that had already slipped out of reach.

If Mowbray had moved Lennon to a more central coaching role earlier things might have been different. Celtic could have regained some equilibrium, at least made a show of the title fight, be looking forward to a Scottish Cup final and Mowbray might still be in place.

A longer, more successful Mowbray reign, would have helped Lennon’s cause. More experience, either inside or outside Celtic Park, would have made him the heir apparent.

But then if more people had voted Labour Gordon Brown would still be Prime Minister.

And, to pummel this political nonsense to death, Mowbray is the Tony Blair casting his shadow over Lennon’s Brown.

I know there are Celtic fans thinking Lennon is now the favourite because his end of season run gives legitimacy to the fact that he’s the cheapest candidate.

That’s fair enough, but it’s only partly true. There is no doubt that the Celtic board have had their hands burnt by the expense of luring Mowbray then getting rid of him, of his misadventures on the transfer market and the last ditch gamble of paying Robbie Keane’s weekly wage.

Yet the team does need new faces and there are players that need to be shipped out. No manager can be a guaranteed success on the transfer market but there will be candidates out there that can point to previous experience of delivering value for money and success on the pitch.

At the moment Lennon can’t. I’m sure he can talk about identifying players, unearthing hidden gems. He’ll already have let the board know the players that need to be moved on, told them of the budget he’d like and the budget he could live with.

I don’t think any of it will be enough. Celtic can’t afford another season like this – another season of watching a debt ridden and constrained Rangers romp to the title, of big money flops, of a manager lost when the pressure really mounts.

If Lennon is given the job and found wanting when spending the board's cash then he is no longer the best available cheap option but another expensive mistake.

The board have a big call to make. Whatever they do will be a gamble. But they have to try and manage risk. And Lennon remains a bigger risk than a manager with more experience.

Sadly for him I think that means he is now just marking time until his replacement is appointed.

When I was writing this I asked Celtic fans on Twitter for their opinions

@atom_man: I think he will get the job. He turned around an inconsistant team. He's passionate. And we won't need to pay compensation.

@SubSceneRecords: we laughed at the thought of McCoist as Rangers manager, with Lennon as boss the joke could be on us

@SubSceneRecords:I don't think he is manager material, prob good coach but manager I doubt. We need a good experienced manager. Trappatoni?

@Tyrebhoy: if walter leaves and mccoist gets the job I think it's definately Lennons job. Neil v Ally next year would be compelling.

What next?

A win, as any manager will tell you, is a win. So Neil Lennon is likely to be relieved that Celtic were able to come back from Saturday’s humiliation to beat Motherwell last night.

Rangers procession to the title will at least last into the split. More importantly Celtic look certain to enjoy a five point lead over third placed Dundee United - at the very least - going into the last five games. Finishing second in a two horse race is poor. Finishing third in a two horse requires an almost forensic obsession with achieving incompetence.

Given the opprobrium heaped upon players, management and board this season, Celtic’s likely second place would suggest that the other ten teams would be better served by jacking in this football lark and taking up tiddlywinks. But in Scottish football we’re not all measured by the same yardstick.

As they looked around Celtic Park last night what would the Celtic board have been thinking? A ground less than half full (and some suspect that figure was slightly generous). Robbie Keane, the £65000 a week gamble that didn’t pay off. The ghost of Tony Mowbray haunting a weak team and still searching for his £900,000 pay off.

I'd they were asking themselves: "What the hell do we do now?"

Some among the Celtic support would no doubt argue that club’s current board has disqualified itself from making decisions about the future thanks to their gross incompetence in appointing Mowbray and then, transfixed by the horror of what was unfolding, failing to act decisively enough or early enough to put an end to this annus horribilis.

Fair comment as that might be, the simple facts remain. Whoever sits in that boardroom needs to take decisive action. They have to pinpoint a manager who excites the fans and somehow implement a transfer policy that will allow him to rebuild a squad that Mowbray left not fit for purpose.

A big name manager, immediately given the funds to make a couple of big name signings, would probably spark some life into a dormant support. Football fans are a fickle bunch, they never forget the moments of anguish but they’re well versed at moving on at the slightest glimpse of a new dawn.

That’s a simple plan but it’s beset by obstacles. Remember that last summer there wasn’t exactly an orderly queue of big name managers forming at the gates to Lennoxtown. Some of the names mentioned seemed to run screaming from the very suggestion of taking the job.

In some ways Tony Mowbray was a compromise candidate, selected when more attractive prospects fell through. It wasn’t the cheapest of compromises though with West Brom rumoured to have received a compensation package of £2 million. Add that to his pay off demands: Celtic could have spent close to £3 million in securing and then dispensing with a manager in the space of nine months.

Now Celtic are far from the days of biscuit tin penury and I’m sure they’ll be embarking on another lucrative Harlem Globetrotter style pre season. But any strategy of attracting a big name manager will cost them again.

Will the board have the stomach for that?

A cheaper option would be to stick with Neil Lennon. There can be no doubt of his Celtic credentials and he was lauded for his honesty in tackling the issues at the club after the Ross County game.

He’s also completely untried as a manager and while admiring his honesty on Saturday we must also accept it as a mea culpa. He was powerless to do anything to stop what was happening. A Celtic manager saying that he was “living in hope” at half time in a cup semi final against Ross County? I’ve heard more persuasive auditions. Even if I feel that it's about time chewing tobacco made a permanent return to Scottish football dugouts.

Somehow Celtic need to find the answers quickly. They only need to look back on the last season to see what happens if their solutions fail.

The chosen one?

Who's it to be then? The job may have lost some of its sparkle but its still a big chance for somebody.

The names in the frame so far:

Owen Coyle: Has performed wonders at Burnley after impressing with St Johnstone. A Celtic man (and how important we know that to be) but also about to embark on the Premiership. Spoke today about pitting his wits against Sir Alex and Arsene. Mixu, Csaba et al might not appeal.

Tony Mowbray: Got West Brom playing the football he demands. Got West Brom relegated playing the football he demands. The Championship is a fairly horrible place and the Celtic job might just have come up at the right time.

Mark McGhee: After the tragedy and achievements of last term has endured the difficult second season syndrome this time round. His track record suggests that longevity is not his number one trait so time might be right for change. Is it an inspiring prospect though?

Craig Levein: An interesting option. I can't think of a club and manager less suited than Celtic and Levein. A long shot.

Alan Curbishley: Like Mowbray might be more interested in Celtic than a Championship job. Reports suggest legal battle with West Ham are complicating things so some sort of compromise there might be necessary.

Steve Coppell: Out of work through choice. Unlikely to relish the unique stresses and pressures of life at Celtic.

Listening to English media tonight there seems to be widespread bemusement at the perceived treatment of Strachan at the hands of the fans. That might mean Celtic just now are less attractive to some down south than they might have been when Martin O'Neill left.

If we can rule out Coyle and we take the SPL contenders as outsiders then I can't get away from returning to Tony Mowbray. Time will tell...