Neil Lennon welcomes Bolton challenge

Neil Lennon speaks during a press conference where he was unveiled as the new Bolton Wanderers manager. Picture: Getty

The 43-year-old Northern Irishman was unveiled as Dougie Freedman’s successor at Wanderers earlier this afternoon in what is his first job since he left the Scottish champions in May.

After a successful four-year stint north of the border when he guided Celtic to three league titles, two Scottish Cups and a memorable Champions League triumph over Barcelona, Lennon faces an altogether different task at a club anchored to the Sky Bet Championship basement.

“It’s a huge challenge, a massive challenge and that’s what I was looking for,” he said. “It’s the stimulus of a challenge. Things went really well at Celtic but I felt I’d run my course. I had six months out of the game which I’d enjoyed but I started to get the itch again. Bolton have entrusted me with this opportunity and I’m very grateful for that.”

Lennon experienced a hugely decorated time in Glasgow, having accumulated his multiple medals in his seven years as a Celtic player too. He hopes that success can be translated to his new post after signing a three-year deal along with assistant Johan Mjallby and first-team coach Garry Parker.

Asked what Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and owner Eddie Davies hope he can bring, Lennon added: “They want me to endeavour to bring a winning mentality to the team, to the club and not just at first-team level but right through the club.

“It was in our DNA at Celtic to win; a draw wouldn’t be satisfactory. You had to win week in, week out and play to a certain standard. Over the 14 years as player, coach and manager I was used to that. Johan played with me and worked with me so he has that mentality too. We want to instil that into the players.”

The Bolton squad Lennon inherits is unrecognisable from the one which was relegated from the Premier League in 2012 as the club have had to clear the decks to try to fight an escalating debt, valued at £163.8 million in the last set of accounts in 2013.

However, Lennon believes he is inheriting a decent squad with lots of potential and sees a club which can soon embark on an upward trajectory.

“We’ve got good players here, the structure and the infrastructure of the club is fantastic,” he noted. “It’s got everything you need for Premier League football, never mind Championship.

“I’m looking forward to just instilling a little self-belief in them. Obviously, with results being the way they are, confidence is slightly low.”

Lennon comes to the helm of a club who have won just one of their 11 Championship games to date, but the new boss was keen to stress there is plenty of time to right the ship.

He ran the rule over the squad for the first time at their training base at Euxton yesterday and acknowledges his first task is to bring some belief back to the ranks.

“You just try and instil confidence, work pretty hard on the training ground and be patient. You always need patience when you come into a new job. We’ve got 35 games so there’s plenty of time to get it right.”