Georgios Samaras thrilled to see Lennon extend his tenure as Celtic manager

The Hoops striker has been a long-time supporter of the Irishman and heard the news that his manager had been awarded a 12-month rolling contract while he was back at his home in Crete.

"Everybody was waiting for him to confirm the new contract," Samaras told the official Celtic website. "He had a really good season and all the feelings towards him from the dressing room are really positive.

"He is the manager for the next year and I think everyone is happy with that. The players, the medical staff, the coaches, the boardroom, they all know it was the right thing to do. He said he wanted to bring the thunder back and I think he did that. He made us winners again. He knows the club really well, he has been here for ten years. He knows the mentality and what the club means to everyone."

Samaras is looking to help the former Parkhead skipper to build on last season's Scottish Cup win.

"We played good football last season," he said.

"Even though we didn't win the SPL trophy, he built a good foundation and changed the mentality of the club in a good way."