Celtic reporter notebook: Neil Lennon upbeat despite Champions League exit
Anyone expecting Neil Lennon’s mood to be as dark as the clouds surrounding Celtic’s training ground on Friday would have been surprised at his upbeat demeanour, as he reflected on the fallout and recriminations of Tuesday’s Champions League exit to Cluj.
The Hoops boss admitted to being surprised that his team played so poorly in the first half, feeling it was a performance contrary to what they have produced so far this season.
Yet in their most important match to date, Celtic were found wanting. The finger-pointing has been incessant since Tuesday, but for now there will be no overreaction from the manager.
Ever since his return to Celtic six months ago, Lennon has been keen to illustrate how grateful he has been for a second chance to manage the club, whilst lavishing plaudits on the players that have delivered three consecutive domestic trebles.
In addition, he’s praised his excellent relationship with the Celtic board, and especially Peter Lawwell, the chief executive.
What he has not talked about publicly is where control now lies at Celtic, especially in terms of recruitment.
Brendan Rodgers possessed the stature to make major demands of the Celtic board, but this ability to flex muscles was tested last summer when Celtic had what Lawwell described as a „frustrating“ transfer window.
A public approach for John McGinn backfired, and Moussa Dembele left without a replacement being signed, leading to Rodgers being pointedly critical of how business had gone.
In hindsight, this spelled the beginning of the end of his working relationship with Celtic.
Many of Rodgers’ signings did not work out, which is an indictment on him and his recruitment chief Lee Congerton.
They were essentially joined at the hip in terms of their strategy, and once Rodgers departed in February, Congerton was always going to follow, yet it wasn’t until May that he left, and not until mid-June that his replacement Nicky Hammond arrived.
Hammond is only employed on a temporary basis, while Celtic have no director of football. For a club planning another assault on Champions League qualification, this looks like poor organisation.
It is unfair on Lennon to say that Celtic saw him as a cheap replacement for Rodgers, but the relationship between manager and board is different now.
It is very rare for a manager or head coach to have full control over who is signed, and Lennon knew the parameters of the job when he accepted it, but those close to him are sympathising with his predicament.
There is a danger Lennon could soon have a squad that includes players he does not rate.
Lawwell has come in for criticism time and again over the years when Celtic have fallen flat on their faces, and this is happening once more.
Accused of being overly cautious in the transfer market, he has constantly stressed the need to run things astutely, while maintaining domestic dominance.
The balance sheet looks handsome, particularly because of the recent the sale of Kieran Tierney to Arsenal. Yet as Celtic close in on the fabled domestic „nine-in-a-row“, they’re regressing in Europe.
Tuesday’s defeat has intensified the debate about where priorities lie at Celtic, which prides itself on the label „A Club Like No Other“.
This is the fourth season in the last six that they’ve failed to reach the Champions League group stages.
Lennon inevitably disputed the claim on Friday that Celtic no longer have the gravitas of a Champions League club, but on the continent, they are being gradually left behind.
This is partly due to financial circumstance, but also due to their own inactivity.
With two and half weeks left until the Scottish transfer deadline, Lennon has stressed the need to bring in more quality.
There is no doubt that players will arrive; the question yet to be answered is whether those players will be up to his standards, and those of Celtic.
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