Neil Lennon still in the dark over Celtic job

Speaking after his team's 2-1 victory at Hearts, Lennon explained that he hoped his candidature would be taken seriously, but accepted the Celtic board of directors should not be rushed into making an appointment. He did see the statement from the club on the matter before it was published, but does not appear to have any inside track on the process.

"I've seen the statement," he said. "I don't think they'll make a decision overnight. There is a process to follow.

"There are people who have applied for the job, I don't know who, but they (the board] have maintained and been true to the fact that they didn't speak to anyone until the season was over. I can't thank them enough for that. I'd like to think I was in the running. I think that was my application there, against Hearts.

"They haven't told me otherwise. It's a very important decision to make in terms of the future of the club, so I can understand why they would be patient and, as far as they're concerned, make the right decision for them, for the players and the supporters."

Adding that he had "no idea" of the timescale in which the board want to make an appointment, Lennon said he had not made a written application. "I think what I've done is my application." Asked about his lack of managerial experience, he explained he felt he had to attempt the job when given the chance to take over from Tony Mowbray.

"I'm pretty content with things. I'd like to thank them for the opportunity of letting me take the thing in the first place. People say you can go back down the road, learn your trade and come back in four years' time. Football doesn't happen that way. If you get offered an opportunity like this you've got to take it, otherwise you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

While waiting to hear whether he is offered the post, Lennon will finish his pro licence, and is also intent on fitting in a holiday. "I've booked my holidays as well," he said. "I only had a week last year, or two weeks, so I'm f***ing making sure I take two weeks this year."

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown made the players' feelings very clear. "We'd love Lenny to stay," he said. "He and Johan (Mjallby, assistant manager] have done a great job. I don't know what's going to happen. We'll just have to wait and see. I hope the board listen to us (the players], but at the end of the day it's their decision, and whatever decision they make we'll have to go along with."

Brown insisted that Lennon's lack of experience as a manager should count for less than the results he has achieved since being appointed caretaker. "You've got to start somewhere, and I think the way the gaffer has started so far, eight wins out of eight games, you couldn't ask for a better record. Why could you not start at Celtic?

"It wasn't the best season, but, as I say, that's us won eight games in a row. Since Lenny's come in he's got a great team spirit behind him."

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies added his own thoughts on the managerial vacancy at Celtic Park, saying he believed Lennon deserved to be appointed. "I hope he does get the job. He's done enough for me to earn it."

Though he was disappointed that the season should end on a losing note, Jefferies took heart from the manner in which his players had competed, especially in the first-half. "I thought the first-half was the best 45 minutes since we came here," he said. "Celtic started reasonably well, but once we got a grip with the changes we had to make, with Lee Wallace failing a fitness test, I felt for the last 35 minutes (of that half] we were excellent.

"Maybe we were less sharp in the second-half, but there was a lot of positives to take from the game. They showed me what they can do, and it took a wonder strike (to beat us]. We didn't give it to Celtic, they had to earn it, and that's all you can ask."