Neil Lennon: I'll decide on Stuart Baxter

• Neil Lennon enjoyed success as Celtic captain. As manager he says he will have the final say on all football matters. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The former club captain's appointment was formally announced yesterday, almost three months after he took interim charge of Celtic following Tony Mowbray's dismissal.

Lennon has agreed a one-year contract with an option to extend it next year. The 38-year-old insists he has no qualms with the short-term deal and is optimistic he will prove the Celtic board are right to give him the opportunity to be the 16th permanent manager in the club's history.

"It's a straight one-year contract and it will be open for re-negotiation when it ends," revealed Lennon. "I can understand it. I am a rookie manager and the club had to get this decision right.

"In the end, its down to me. I'm pretty confident I can do it. I'm ready for it and if things go well, hopefully I'll be here a bit longer."

Lennon was unaccompanied by any of his prospective backroom staff at yesterday's media conference, although Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker, all former team-mates from his playing career at Celtic or Leicester City, are expected to join him before the end of the month.

He also confirmed that Finland coach Stuart Baxter is one of "three or four" candidates for an as yet undefined part-time mentoring role, with the Celtic board keen for Lennon to have a more experienced figure to call upon.

Lennon sees merit in the idea, believing it could enhance Celtic's prospects of Champions League progress, but was at pains to make it clear any appointment will be his decision alone.

"He (Baxter] is a candidate," said Lennon. "There are three or four, but I can't divulge the names.

"It's a resource I can tap into, especially away from home in the Champions League games. We have got Champions League qualifiers coming up and my record away from home as a player in the competition wasn't very good. This figure might be able to discern a structure in a team that might be beneficial for us, so we can shut the door away from home and nick a result.

"It might be beneficial if he doesn't have any previous affiliation with the club. Most of the backroom staff will have an affiliation, so this guy might come in with a fresh approach and different ideas.

"But as with all the football decisions, whether they be backroom staff, medical, or sport science, I will have the final say.

"The backroom staff that I have in mind probably lack that experience too so I think I am going in the unknown a wee bit, but in terms of what I know about the club, I don't think anyone knows the club better than myself.

"It's just other aspects of the game that maybe I need to work on."

Celtic chairman John Reid, while refusing to discuss Baxter, backed Lennon's assertion of authority in making any appointment. "There is no question that anything will be imposed on Neil," said Reid. "Neil himself volunteered the idea of an older head. He is the manager, he is the gaffer. In all football matters, he is the arbiter."

Lennon says there is no timescale on the recruitment of a mentor and is placing greater priority on strengthening his squad. He confirmed that 35-year-old former England defender Sol Campbell, a free agent after finishing last season with Arsenal, is among the list of signing targets he has drawn up.

"We have a definite interest in him and he has shown interest in us as well," said Lennon. "There is still a bit of work to do on that, but he fits the bill of what I am looking for.

"I want to go down the more British and more experienced route. I also want to bring in quality, there is no point bringing older players in if they can't still play. The expectation levels here are huge and they have to buy into it quickly."

Lennon also confirmed his interest in Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley but admitted moves to bring former loan signings Robbie Keane or Craig Bellamy back to Celtic remain less likely to meet with any success.

"I had a chat with Robbie at the end of the season and would like to speak to him again," he said, "but whether the club can let that happen is another matter. Whether he wants to come back, I don't know. He would take a lot of convincing. He never really gave any indication to me that he would be back.

"Craig is a player I know very well and admire. But he's in the stratosphere as far as wages are concerned ... whether we could do the deal is a long way off"

Lennon reiterated his desire to retain Aiden McGeady as part of his squad, the Republic of Ireland winger having been linked with an 8 million move to Spartak Moscow.

"The figure that's been bandied about for Aiden isn't enough," said Lennon. "It would have to be a ridiculous amount of money, or what we believe to be the right amount of money, to accept a deal from anybody."

What Neil Lennon said on potential transfer targets

SOL CAMPBELL...

"We have a definite interest in him and he has shown interest in us as well. There is still a bit of work to do on that, but he fits the bill of what I am looking for"

ROBBIE KEANE...

"I had a chat with Robbie at the end of the season and would like to speak to him again. But whether the club can let that happen is another matter. Whether he wants to come back, I don't know. He would take a lot of convincing. He never really gave any indication to me that he would be back."

JOE LEDLEY...

"He is one that interests us, yes"

CRAIG BELLAMY...

"Craig is a player I know very well and admire. But he's in the stratosphere as far as wages are concerned. Again, it would be great to have him, but whether he'd want to come or whether we could do the deal is a long way off."

• In pictures - Neil Lennon