When Neil Lennon left his post as Celtic manager at the end of last season, he must have been reasonably confident that his desire to manage an English club would have been fulfilled sooner rather than later. However, the Irishman remains out of work, and for all he initially stated that a sabbatical from the game would do him no harm if it came to that, by all accounts he is currently itching to get back on the training ground.
Of course, in the interim Lennon hasn’t been completely idle as far as the beautiful game is concerned. He has been utilised as an effective TV analyst during the World Cup, and his appearance on Match of the Day last weekend showed him at his articulate, thoughtful best. Unlike some other studio guests, Lennon eschews cliché and generally offers interesting and unique insights into aspects of games and players.
However, Lennon is young and ambitious, and his time at Celtic has fuelled a deep desire to be a successful manager- the pressure-free comfort of the BBC and Sky studios are not his number one priority for certain. His departure from Glasgow was borne from a desire to test himself as a manager at the highest level more than any frustration regarding the lack of acknowledgement of his achievements.
The lack of competition in Scotland, (especially given Rangers’ lengthy absence from the SPL) coupled with the financial restrictions being imposed at his club, led him to believe that the club’s ambitions did not match his, thus his decision to move on to pastures new. The thinking was that a new challenge would afford Lennon the chance to showcase his credentials within a more competitive environment, and ultimately achieve the recognition he felt he deserved for his success.
It is perhaps surprising therefore that Lennon remains without a job, and, more worrying still, he is rarely quoted as a serious contender, not only for Premiership posts, but Championship ones too. Four months on from his departure he’s evidently no closer to a return to the game.
During the summer, positions have been filled at the likes of West Brom, Southampton and Crystal Palace, and it’s been clear that Lennon’s name has failed to trouble the shortlists on each occasion. He has been linked with the current vacancy at Cardiff City, although this is only since current Dundee manager Paul Hartley – a relative novice as a manager who has had little more than a short term impact at Dundee – rejected the prospect of joining the Bluebirds last week.
Sadly for Lennon, the demands of managing a club as big as Celtic does not appear to have registered as essential selection criteria on any English club chairman’s person specification to date.
And this despite the fact that Lennon won five trophies during his four years at Celtic, during which he also led the club to two consecutive (not to mention highly lucrative) Champions League group campaigns, including a famous win against mighty Barcelona. By any standards, this record is far from poor when you consider the relatively modest resources that were at his disposal compared with his predecessors.
Of course, it may be that the apparent lack of interest in Lennon is as much down to the current lowly standing of the Scottish game in the eyes of many, as opposed to Lennon’s perceived managerial qualities. Not so long ago, any successful manager in Scotland (particularly either half of the Old Firm) was virtually guaranteed a managerial posting south of the border. The likes of Martin O’Neill, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Paul Lambert and Owen Coyle boasted several high profile suitors when they elected to move on, although it’s obviously changed days.
However, Rangers’ malaise would almost certainly have diminished the achievements of any Celtic boss, to the extent that silverware gleaned for the Parkhead trophy room during the Ibrox club’s period in the wilderness is clearly considered to be tarnished beyond recognition in some quarters.
Ronny Deila, already under close scrutiny following Celtic’s failure to qualify for the Champions League and modest returns in the league to date, recently admitted that, given the perception of the league being a one horse race, failure to win the title this season would be ‘a disaster’.
Lennon himself can hardly be blamed for Scottish football’s reputation and standing, (in fact, as Celtic manager he more than anyone did positive things for the game in terms of his achievements in Europe and providing players for the national side) but there is little doubt he has become a victim of it judging by the lack of interest elsewhere in securing his services.
The longer his absence continues, the more difficult it will be to re-establish himself, given there are a number of English managers (such as Tim Sherwood and Tony Pullis) also impatiently kicking their heels and keeping a watchful eye on the job market. And who might consider themselves to be ahead of the Irishman in the queue in the event of any further vacancies arising.
Lennon could therefore be forgiven for wistfully reflecting right now on the wisdom of his decision to walk away from Celtic without a new post in the offing.