Lennon not thinking about Strachan job

Neil Lennon denies his return to Celtic Park as coach is a precursor to taking over from manager Gordon Strachan.

The former Hoops skipper, who had seven successful years at the club before leaving at the end of last season, was recruited from Wycombe this week and began his first coaching role at Lennoxtown yesterday morning.

His surprise appointment followed Celtic’s 1-0 defeat by Rangers last Saturday which left the champions six points behind the Light Blues in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title race.

The Irishman, however, insists he is committed solely to helping Strachan retain the title.

He said: “I’m going to be another voice, another opinion for the manager to listen to when he wants one.

“I’m here to lend a hand because I know how the club works and the players know me.

“We’re in a difficult situation and it’s now win or bust in the title race.

“But Gordon’s here for the long term and I don’t know why that shouldn’t be the case.

“There’s no reason for the club to be changed because a knee-jerk reaction would be wrong and continuity is important in football.

“My ambitions with regard to being Celtic manager are a long way off and I’m not looking beyond the eight league games between now and the end of the season.

“I missed the intensity and the dramas that come with being at a club like Celtic,” Lennon added.

“I simply missed being about the club and this homecoming has left me feeling like I’ve never been away.

“It’s still possible Celtic could win the championship, but we need to beat Rangers twice at Celtic Park to have any chance.”

Strachan remained calm at the suggestion that his new appointee would be seen as his long-term successor.

“I hope he is because that would imply I had a long-term future at this club,” he said.

“But management is very different from coaching. I’ve done both and Neil’s about to find out how true that is.

“Being an ex-Celtic player who was as popular as Neil was important, but it’s not necessary.

“But it’s more important that he’s a former Celtic winner.

“The immediate need is to make it a tight finish to the championship race.

“The time was right, therefore, to bring Neil back to the club.

“I always had this thought in my head that we’d meet again somewhere down the road.

“And he once told me that he’d be back again if he got the chance.

“There was an opportunity for Celtic to bring in another coach and Neil will have a long term future with the club.

“The aim in the short term is for him to look and learn while acting in an advisory capacity.

“The long term role Neil will have will be decided in the summer after we’ve spoken to each other, but we know what’s going to happen.”