What does Neil Lennon and his management team need to do to get new Celtic contracts?
Last summer’s management team were given 12 month contracts to prove their worth with the appointment of Team Lennon greeted with a mixture of trepidation and hope.
Managing Celtic wasn’t a job for a rookie as Liam Brady and John Barnes proved said some. No-one knows the club and the needs of the squad better than Lenny argued others.
Seven months into the job it’s hard to find a dissenting voice about Lennon’s appointment with the European disappointments fading with every performance.
Almost every box has been ticked with a young hungry squad developing game by game with the promise of more to come and unburdened by any lengthy and expensive contracts.
Only Efrain Juarez of the major summer signings has yet to deliver but the Mexican isn’t likely to become a costly burden like Bobo Balde, Magnus Hedman, Thomas Gravesen or Adam Virgo.
Contract wise Lennon’s deal is up at the end of this season, if he was a player his agent could be talking to any other clubs now to sort out a deal for next season.
Lennon has no interest in moving elsewhere but putting him onto the type of rolling contract enjoyed by Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Tony Mowbray is only fair after the work that he has put in alongside his management team of Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker.
“It’s too early,” Peter Lawwell responded to questions about his manager’s contract at the club AGM in November.
“Neil is doing very well and in the SPL he’s been remarkable. “We’ve got a new, young, vibrant management team, led by Neil, which will be here for a long time.
“When I say he will be here for a long time, I think it’s because he will keep on winning and the rest will be inevitable. He is delighted with the support the board have given him.”
The transformation in Celtic since 2010 turned into 2011 has been incredible.
Following the emphatic 4-0 win over Hearts in midweek there was an unexpected and unlikely surge for tickets for the Co-Operative Cup semi-final with Aberdeen at Hampden.
Lennon’s side didn’t disappoint as they replicated their midweek form to book their place in the final by running into a 4-0 half time lead and followed that up with another emphatic win over Aberdeen in midweek.
The lazy ‘He doesn’t win the big matches’ cliche has been binned with convincing wins over Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen to rejuvenate a support that was growing weary through December with nervy home performances that saw points dropped to Dundee United, Inverness Caley Thistle and Kilmarnock.
Celtic have swept Hearts and Aberdeen aside, both in-form opponents, with a style of play that hasn’t been seen by supporters since Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton were together in their prime. Lennon won his first game as manager at Ibrox- an achievement that eluded O’Neill and Strachan.
As an added bonus for the boardroom the current squad are all relatively young and inexpensive and likely to attract Premiership interest before too long.
Under Lennon the value of Emilio Izaguirre, Gary Hooper and Biram Kayal has soared. Joe Ledley and Charlie Mulgrew were signed on free transfers whilst the nominal fee that brought Thomas Rogne to the club looks like kroners well spent.
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Timing is all important in football but before February is out the Celtic board has to choose the moment to reward Lennon and his backroom team with the security of new contracts- the sort of contracts that have enticed Kelvin Wilson and Kris Commons to commit themselves to Celtic (and Lennon) for next season.
The reality of managing Celtic is that you have to be better than Rangers.
European success is desirable but when the chips are down finishing ahead of the only credible domestic challenger will always be the benchmark.
Whatever way you wish to look at it there is no-one better placed to manage Celtic next season than Lennon.
After a priceless season of coalface experience he has moulded together a team of potential whilst selling off Artur Boruc, Aiden McGeady and Stephen McManus.
With Rangers financial problems increasingly apparent Lennon has a great head start over Ally McCoist or whoever is chosen to take over from the departing Walter Smith.
The downsizing at Ibrox shows no sign of letting up. Confirming Lennon as the man to take Celtic forward is the obvious move and reward for someone who has been through so much in his decade at Celtic.
As well as being the obvious choice there is an unsavory aspect to managing Celtic that doesn’t appear in the job description. Owen Coyle and Paul Lambert, two obvious contenders in normal circumstances, have distanced themselves from the opportunity to pursue their careers in England.
The sinister side of managing Celtic, the daily abuse and threats that come with the job, make it unappealing for many candidates, even those naturally enclined towards the club.
The contrast between the Celtic support at Hampden today and after the Ross County match couldn’t be starker. While Lennon, Mjallby, Thompson and Parker appreciate the cheers and adulation of the support they know how fickle the football business can be.
Securing the current management team onto new rolling contracts is the best possible boost that the board could provide- and save themselves from another painful summer of chasing suspects for the manager’s chair.
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Lenny and his back room staff have done well. The big test comes now over our next five games which will go a long way in telling us if we have everything required to win the title.
Personally I feel he and his staff deserve to be told they will be there next season for continuity.