While his predecessor was unveiled amongst smiles, soundbites, flashbulbs and promises as the new manager of Middlesbrough Neil Lennon prepared for the task of lifting Celtic.
The hoops boss will no doubt have a wry smile thinking about how Tony Mowbray motivates four of the players that he shifted out of Celtic less than a year ago but Lennon has his own business to get on with.
Mowbray’s taking things on the chin cop-out at Celtic has been replaced by Lennon’s square-go approach to management.
Amongst Mowbray’s many clangers he admitted to not liking the job and revealed that the criticism of him effected his family.
Two major mistakes alongside publicly admitting that he’d like to bring in a whole team of new players in the January transfer window.
Managing Celtic can’t be picked up on a coaching class with few men cut out for the job.
With the increasing demands of the media and non-stop scrutiny it’s unlikely that anyone will survive more than four years in the job.
Martin O’Neill stayed on for a fifth season, Gordon Strachan for a fourth and both left after losing the SPL title.
Lennon has still to experience the joy of winning a championship as manager but was well placed to appreciate the demands and pressure of the job and the downsides that come with the prestige and attention.
“We do it because we love the game, simple as that,” the Celtic boss explained. “I think you have to be a masochist to manage an Old Firm club. It’s getting more and more difficult in the modern game to manage.
“I don’t know anything else and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, I want to do it for a while if I can. “You only have to look at the guy across the road, Walter Smith’s been doing it for a long time and I want to take a leaf out of his book.
“It can be an unpleasant environment to work in but I’ve been entrenched in it for ten years. Nothing surprises me about it any more, I love the job and I love the challenge of it.
“You have your good days and bad days like everybody else but you can’t let the exaggeration of it all affect you.
“The highs are high, but the lows are so much lower. The best thing you can do is get up in the morning, look at yourself in the mirror. pick yourself up, and go again.”
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As decision after decision went against Celtic last season Mowbray stood detached on the sidelines afraid to speak up about decisions that contributed towards his gardening leave.
Lennon has spoken clearly and calmly about decisions that have gone against Celtic in two matches and isn’t apologising for doing so.
He knows better than anyone the shortcomings of his squad but isn’t prepared to take decisions on the chin that could see him lose his job.
When Sir Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho call for a referee to be strong they are acknowledged for their mind games. Every manager, including Lennon, is entitled to expect strong refereeing with Willie Collum falling well short in the Celtic Rangers game.
Why an inexperienced 31-year-old is given a Celtic-Rangers game is another matter but Lennon has stood his ground and defended his right to ask for clarification on certain decisions.
If a manager writing a letter to the SFA causes distress to an official he’s clearly in the wrong business, Lennon’s after match comments have hardly been scathing or personal.
“I have been pretty supportive of referees and had a good relationship with them,” the Celtic boss explained.
“But when there are decisions like that I have to answer questions as honestly as I can and if that’s a criticism of the refs then so be it.
“I don’t have anything against the referees personally or professionally.
“I’m not the first manager to complain about decisions so I don’t know why it’s being exaggerated so much. Maybe it’s because the Old Firm game is so high profile.”
Regan’s time-bomb/Craven’s blockbuster
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I have contacted Mr Lawwell on several occasion about Celtic fc talking to or entertaining the daily rags. Because they’re certainly not or our side. Ban the press from Parkhead.
My biggest problem with BTM was his attitude of acceptance of bad decisions the more you let them away with the more they’ll cheat.