Neil Lennon - Overrated?

Article by e-Celtic Correspondent Darren Conway

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When Tony Mowbray was sacked from his position as Celtic manager in 2010, Neil Lennon was given the job on a temporary basis until the end of the season.

This would see the Northern Irishman oversee around seven league matches and a Scottish Cup semi final against lowly Ross County.

The loss against the minnows from the highlands was mainly blamed on the players, (Robbie Keane et all) and not really on the caretaker boss. Neil went onto win all his league matches, including one against Champions at the time Rangers.

Deserved to get the job? I would say yes and I have always wanted him to succeed.
However, contrary to reports, in my eyes, his tenure has been a bit of a mixed bag.

In his first full season in charge he was pipped to the title in Walter Smiths last season at Rangers. An away day calamity at Inverness threw the title away that particular season. On the main though his first year in charge was a huge improvement and ended in Scottish Cup success against Motherwell.

The second term brought the title, overhauling a 15 point deficit against Ally McCoist's Rangers. A terrific achievement, some might say undervalued with Rangers eventually going into infamous administration.

In terms of the league the following couple of seasons have also ended in Celtic becoming champions. However without liquidated Rangers in the mix.

For a rookie manager 3 league titles out of 4 would suggest a fantastic start and a very bright future for the man from Lurgan.

Domestic cups however have been in short supply.

Defeats in League Cup Finals to Rangers and Kilmarnock and earlier exits in the competition to St.Mirren and Morton deemed simply not good enough.

In the Scottish Cup a semi defeat to Hearts and an earlier exit this season to Aberdeen were either side of a tournament success last season beating Hibs in the Final.

Domestically Neil has won ONLY two out of a possible nine local cups.

In European competition most external fans will remember the Barcelona Champions League victory, again though, some real shockers other that particular result.

Defeats in qualifiers for Europa League against FC Utrecht and FC Sion in his first couple of years in charge been the main embarrassing losses.

However, reaching the last 16 of the Champions League was a fantastic achievement and if the club can continue to qualify each year then surely that is success.

The main reason for writing this particular article is to receive some feedback on whether other football fans actually think the same as a huge number of Celtic fans, that Lennon's record really is "all great or all calamity"?

There really does not appear to be much consistency.

His teams lose games when you least expect it and this is ultimately a huge frustration to Celtic fans.

Ultimately he will move on and be given a chance in England, I am fairly sure of that.

He has undoubtedly turned Celtic's fortunes around.

Consistency has perhaps been the main discrepancy on his CV thus far.
(Must do better)?

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