Celtic refusing to rush action over position of Neil Lennon

Celtic’s hierarchy continued discussions across Monday as to how best to address the on-field crisis that has enveloped manager Neil Lennon and torn the club asunder.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon's future remains up in the air (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The Irishman is on the edge of the precipice as a consequence of presiding over a run of 10 games in which only two wins have been registered.

It is believed that the 2-0 League Cup loss at home to Ross County, which ended the club’s remarkable four-year monopoly of domestic honours, would have been adjudged the tipping point over Lennon’s 21-month spell in charge but for the violent actions of protesting fans outside the stadium in the aftermath.

Dermot Desmond, the club’s largest shareholder whose stake gives him the ultimate say in major club decisions, and club chief executive is reluctant to be seen as serving up Lennon to the thuggish element that gathered at Celtic Park on Sunday night to demand his head. A police investigation now on-going after some the protesters – whose presence breached Covid-19 rules – were responsible for pushing over a barrier in clashes with a police cordon and aiming missiles at players as they were escorted to their cars.

There are also considerations that require to be given to the compensation package for Lennon in the event of being relieved of his position and the timescale to arrive at such a decision. The Celtic squad fly out to Milan on Wednesday, ahead of a Europa League dead rubber for them in the San Siro.

Bookmakers have made former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan favourite to succeed Lennon, while on-line rumours swirled yesterday that another such predecessor, Martin O’Neill, is being discussed within the club. Both men would have a strong grasp of the need for instant remedial actions to ensure Celtic can regroup and mount the expected challenge for the historic tenth championship, the club currently 11-points adrift of Rangers having played two games fewer.

Any new manager would also require to be guaranteed a transfer budget to spend in the January window if handed the immediate task of guiding the club to an increasingly unlikely league success this season.

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