According to the latest reports from the Scottish Sun, Neil Lennon has emerged as a surprise candidate to take over the top job at English club Fulham. The Cottagers are playing in the Championship next season as their relegation from the Premier League has been confirmed. It is believed that Lennon’s impressive work at Hibernian and two stints at Celtic has caught the eye of the London based club.
Should Celtic be worried if they want Lennon permanently?
The report does add that Lennon would only consider any other club’s position if he doesn’t get the permanent job at Parkhead. As things stand, Lennon is favourite to take over the Celtic role permanently as he is close to guiding them to another treble. So if the Hoops are serious about appointing Lennon, then they should be able to get their man.
Is Lennon the best option?
Celtic have been linked with some heavyweight names, but quite a few have dropped out from the race. Currently, they are being linked with David Wagner and Willy Sagnol. Rafael Benitez’s name is also doing the round as his future with Newcastle United is still uncertain. If Celtic can get their hands on Benitez or Wagner, then they should try to appoint them permanently.
Lennon might have delivered the results, but the team has looked devoid of ideas since he took over. More than his managerial abilities, it’s the player quality which has helped Celtic continue on their course towards the treble. We don’t see how Lennon would be able to take this team to the next level.
The Northern Irish manager won’t be a bad option to appoint permanently. However, Celtic should aspire to have someone better, and it should be someone who can make them a force in European football as well.
What should the board do?
Lennon had a tough time when he last moved to England as he was the manager of cash strapped Bolton Wanderers. Fulham could appeal to the interim Celtic boss as they would be expected to fight for the playoff spots. Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke is said to be the top contender for the Cottagers right now so it would be interesting to see what would transpire in the summer.
If Celtic wants Lennon, then they should have a clear advantage in signing him permanently as they have worked with him previously and the 47-year-old manager knows the club inside out. It would be better if the club can decide on the permanent manager sooner rather than later so that no other clubs can lure Lennon if they want to.
Honestly, in our opinion, they could do better than Lennon. Should they get the chance to bring someone like Benitez to the Parkhead, they should not hesitate in pulling the trigger.
