Neil Lennon insists he is prepared for rejection at Celtic

NEIL Lennon insists he will not be devastated if he fails to land the job as Celtic manager.

The interim appointment will discover his future following tomorrow's final Clydesdale Bank Premier League game against Hearts at Tynecastle, where victory will extend the Parkhead side's winning run in the SPL to eight games.

The Northern Irishman is keen to be appointed on a permanent basis but asked what his feelings would be if Celtic's owner Dermot Desmond said no, Lennon replied: "I am prepared for that, I am comfortable with it.

"Everyone is saying it would be devastating. It won't. It's football and I have had highs and lows as a player.

"Very early in what you would deem my managerial career, I had a huge low (losing to Ross County) and came through that okay. So it won't be a devastating blow, but it will be a disappointment, yes. I haven't spoken to Dermot about it yet, I will probably speak to him after the game."

Lennon continued: "The way I look at it, you might not get that opportunity again so you have to take it and if I crash and burn, I crash and burn on my own merits.

"But again, I am pretty positive about things.

"I know there are pitfalls and I know there are other outside influences that can have a negative effect.

"So I'm well aware of the dangers, not to my health but my career but I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't take it.

"Football changes and who knows, four years down the line I might not want the job or have my eyes on something else, I don't know.

"I think you live in the present and if I get offered job, I will have to take it."

The former Celtic captain and reserve team coach insists he has proved to himself since taking over from Tony Mowbray in March that he is up to the task.

"I've learned that I can do it," he said.

"You just never know if you can deal with the challenges in front of you.

"I'm not smug about it, but I'm just pleased with the way I've been able to adapt to the situation and take on the challenges.

"I'm surprised that I haven't felt the pressure, maybe it's because the job is not mine permanently, I don't know.

"I haven't been losing sleep or been stressed, I've just sort of got on with it."

Lennon has been heartened by the endorsements he has received from his players in recent weeks but does not think that support will make much difference to Desmond's final decision.

He said: "Lifting and motivating the players and getting performances out of them, that's what has pleased me the most and I can't thank the players enough.

"Do boards take notice of what players say? I'm not so sure.

"I appreciate the players sentiments, I really do, but I don't think it will sway the board's mind one way or the other.

"But I'm pleased that the players want me to get the job."

According to Hearts manager Jim Jefferies, who Lennon will pit his wits against tomorrow, seven straight wins in the SPL have made it almost impossible for Celtic not to appoint him their next manager.

"He's done fantastically well," said Jefferies. "All right, they had that disaster against Ross County but he's won all his other matches.

"He's got the players playing for him. They'll be wanting to finish on a high, maybe to try to get Neil the job.

"He's virtually sealed getting the job; it would be difficult to give it to anybody else."

Jefferies has long seen managerial potential in Lennon, who he watched bark out orders on the playing field while the 38-year-old was captain at Parkhead.

He added: "I've met him a couple of times on holiday.

"We were in Portugal a couple of years ago and he's a great lad – very down to earth, and you can see he's a winner.

"He brings that to the squad.

"He's got great enthusiasm and there have definitely been players responding to him."

Artur Boruc will miss tomorrow's final match of the SPL season because of a broken finger.

The goalkeeper sustained the injury in the warm-up before the midweek win over Rangers.

He started the game but was replaced after the break by fellow Pole Lukasz Zaluska. Midfielder Landry NGuemo is suspended while Diomansy Kamara (hamstring) and Lee Naylor (thigh) are both out.