How reinvigorated Neil Lennon was wooed by Dunfermline as new boss quotes Sir Alex, reveals son advice and future plans
After four years away from frontline Scottish football, Lennon explains return with Pars
Dunfermline Athletic could not have picked a better day to unveil their new manager, Neil Lennon.
The sun was beating down on East End Park as a large press pack descended on the kingdom of Fife to hear the words of the new man at the helm.
The hope is that Lennon will bring a new dawn, for it has not always been this bright at Dunfermline. With seven games to go until the end of the regular season, the Pars sit ninth in the Championship and in the relegation play-off places. They are six points clear of bottom club Airdrieonians and two points away from Hamilton in eighth. There is so much to play for.
That is why previous manager Michael Tidser, just 11 games into his tenure, was removed from office earlier this month. Dunfermline's new owners, spearheaded by rich entrepreneur James Bord, have grand plans for the club, but right now it is about survival - and Lennon fits the bill for them.
The 53-year-old Northern Irishman has not presided over a Scottish football match for four years, his last outing coming in February 2021 when he lost as manager of Celtic at Ross County. Since then, he has worked in Cyprus with Omonoia and Romania with Rapid Bucharest. Listening to Lennon, it is clear he wants to end his peripatetic existence and settle down. For now, his deal with Dunfermline lasts until only the end of the season - but there is a desire for longer should it all work out.
Lennon admitted to some scepticism when the call came from Bord a couple of weeks ago. But he started his media duties with a line that shows just how much of an impact his conversations with the former poker player had on him.
“Last week there were a lot of conversations with the chairman and owner, they made a very compelling argument for taking the job," explained Lennon. “James was so compelling, he talked me around in long conversations.
“There’s an old adage from Sir Alex [Ferguson] that sometimes you pick your owners rather than the club. I think we have a good one here, he’s got good aspirations for the club further down the line. He’s a very interesting man, who has ambitions to do great things here.
“A lot of owners will say that but it’s how they follow that up. He’s different, there’s no doubt about that, and I’ll learn a lot from him. We’ll speak every day, like an old married couple arguing away. He’s been great, very supportive and very supportive of the players.
“His first line to me was ‘Dunfermline has got under my skin’ so he really wants it to work. I’ve not met someone in football like him before, the way he thinks about the game and the way he thinks about the future."
Bord and his fellow investor Evan Sofer are data-driven and already have links to two clubs in Europe with Spanish side Cordoba and Bulgarian outfit Septemvri Sofia. They have an extensive net over players across Europe and beyond. The long-term goal is get Dunfermline back to the Premier League, a place they have not been since 2012.
This was also the aspiration of German investor Thomas Meggle and his consortium, whose plans for the Pars did not bear fruit. Their sale to Bord in January was welcomed by many Dunfermline supporters but since the sacking of James McPake just before Christmas, there has not been a marked upturn in fortunes on the pitch. Relegation remains a real threat.
Lennon knows what is at stake. He revealed that he has been close to a few jobs recently but was waiting for the right proposition. The reality for him is that his title-winning work at Celtic has been overlooked by many clubs as the coaching market becomes ever more saturated.
“Am I taking a risk? No," continued Lennon. "Every job you take there is an element of risk but that didn’t factor in my mind. I missed it [being a football manager]. "I had offers to get back in and a few were abroad. I didn’t want to go abroad for personal reasons And I was very close to getting an English job a few weeks ago.
“My son [Gallagher] also talked me into it, he was desperate to get me out of the house so he’s excited about the prospect of seeing me back in the dugout as well. Not much excites me at my age but this does, I’m looking forward to it.
“There is potential here, obviously, there’s talent here and I like the players from what I’ve seen so far. I have been quite surprised by the potential and the people we’re working with have been very receptive to us."
Lennon has history with Dunfermline. He scored twice against them as a Celtic player at Hampden - "wordlies" in the ex-midfielder's eyes. "The first one was 2001 and the second was 2006," smiled Lennon. "I didn’t get many so you always remember them!"
Goals have been an issue for this Dunfermline team. They've only netted 26 in the league, a big reason for their current predicament. There is a reliance on veteran striker Chris Kane amid a youthful, callow squad. Lennon wants to bring exciting, attack-minded football but is aware that time is not on his side.
“I said I want to bring exciting football to the club, but I want to clarify I didn’t promise it. In the last couple of games I’ve felt they have been meandering through the games but we need to change that.
“Confidence is an indefinable quality in a group and as individuals. There’s talent here, no question, but it’s not just about talent it’s about consistency too. I think they need a bit more clarity on the direction we want to take the team and what we’re asking them to do."
Lennon's first assignment: Ayr United away on Saturday, managed by his former Celtic captain Scott Brown. The next seven weeks are well worth keeping an eye on at Dunfermline.
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