Neil Lennon is edging closer to the manager’s job at Leicester City.
A week after the departure of Nigel Pearson the former Celtic boss is very much in the frame for the post despite suggestions that Guus Hiddink was a contender.
The Leicester board are believed to be split between bringing in a high profile name and the need to bring in someone that knows the scene and is likely to secure Premier League football ahead of the lucrative new television deal kicking in.
Lennon is currently in Austria with Bolton but is being kept fully briefed about the vacancy at the club where he established himself as a top flight player.
A supporters poll in the local paper put Lennon down as fourth favourite but the Bolton boss looks a more realistic option than Jurgen Klopp, Esteban Cambiasso or Martin O’Neill who all polled more votes.
Tony Cottee played alongside Lennon during the Filbert Street years and is in no doubt that his former team-mate is the perfect fit for the Leicester job..
“I know who should be put in charge and that is Neil Lennon,” Cottee stated. “I suppose I am a little biased because we played together at Leicester but he did a great job at Celtic and then at Bolton. He is the perfect fit.
“He will bring passion and commitment to the role. He was thrown in at the deep end at Celtic, and played Champions League football.
“He went to Bolton when they looked like they would get relegated and they survived easily in the end.”
Lennon has been given next to no money to spend at Bolton and has watched a number of modest transfer targets sign elsewhere.
When he took over from Dougie Freedman in October it looked like Bolton would be involved in a relegation dogfight but Championship survival was secured with something to spare.
John McGinlay follows the fortunes of his old club faithfully and admits it would be a big blow if Lennon was to move on within a year of taking charge.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all to see him linked with the Leicester job right away,” McGinlay admitted. “He’s held in very high regard down there and in many ways it’s his club but I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I want him to stay.
“He’s started the building process and got the people believing in the football club again. It would be a crying shame to see him leave before he really got started.”
