Neil Lennon wants to be Celtic manager on permanent basis

• Neil Lennon oversees his first training session as interim manager today

The former Celtic midfielder has taken over at Parkhead until the end of the season following yesterday's sacking of Tony Mowbray in the wake of Wednesday's humiliating 4-0 defeat at St Mirren.

Lennon said: "Yes I do want the job for keeps, everyone knows what this club means to me.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for me. Obviously I cam coming in in difficult circumstances but I have a job to do between now and the end of the season."

With the likes of Paul Lambert, Mark Hughes, Slaven Bilic and Roy Keane among the names linked with the job Lennon knows he will need to prove his abilities quickly if he is to be offered the job on a full-time basis.

He faces his first game in charge at home to Kilmarnock tomorrow with Celtic trailing rivals Rangers by 10 points having played two games more at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table.

"It will be very difficult to do that (prove his credentials for the job) in such a short space of time, like all managers you look for your first result straight away.

"I have got to win as many games as I can and get as close to Rangers as we possibly can in the league and try to win the cup.

"You just take the job and see where it takes you, even if things go well it may not be offered to me."

Mowbray was heavily criticised by fans for his insistence on looking to promote an attractive brand of attacking football, and Lennon, 38, revealed he will look to tinker with Celtic's style of play.

"I would like us to be more direct and press teams more and get the crowd going. Speed up the tempo of the game," he said.

"Up until the St Mirren game things were going okay, but the players understand the performance was unacceptable. I have made it clear what is expected of them between now and the end of the season.

"They have trained well this morning and we are looking forward to tomorrow's game and putting things right."

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