NEIL Lennon felt privileged last night to gain access to an exclusive club.
Although this is the club's 43rd league title in all, the Northern Irishman became just the ninth Celtic boss to win the top division in this country when the Parkhead side demolished Kilmarnock at Rugby Park yesterday. He broke his two-week, self-imposed media silence to state that clinching his first Clydesdale Bank Premier League title as manager allowed him to step out from the shadows of illustrious former holders of the Celtic manager's office such as his mentors Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan.
"I feel vindicated now," said Lennon, who was captured on television shedding a tear when the final whistle sounded. "I felt like I was on probation, but now I feel like I am a Celtic manager. I was walking behind Martin and Gordon and Wim Jansen and Davie Hay, and Billy McNeill and Mr Stein, and now I can step out from behind them and walk alongside them and it is a fantastic feeling for me. You are judged, ultimately, on championships. Cups aren't enough."
The Northern Irishman said the sensation of getting over the line was "the greatest moment of his professional life", better than any of the five titles he won as a player. "When you are a player you are part of a team, you have the Larssons, the Suttons, the Petrovs, the Lamberts, Mjallbys, and the Thompsons to lean on," Lennon said. "But when you are a manager it is a lonely job. You have to make the decisions, you get criticised for them and praised for them, but you have to keep the middle ground and keep a level head. It is only my second season, and it is a huge job with huge expectations. There have been difficult times, but my family and the board helped me through it."
Lennon was entitled to revel in every bit of justification he derived from yesterday. When he last came here on October 15, his side had gone in 3-0 down at half-time, trailed Rangers in the league and he was a goal away from considering his position. But not only had his confidence in himself and his side been tested, none of those other Celtic managers ever had to endure such personal and emotional strain as Lennon has gone through. The Northern Irishman said the manner in which his young side played in yesterday's 6-0 win at Rugby Park alone should dispel any outlandish notions that they are not worthy champions. But a simple look at the league table this morning should do that.
"I am so happy for the players," Lennon said. "They have come in for what I think is unjustified criticism. But they have proved beyond doubt they are the best team in the country and they will grow. They are not anywhere near their peak yet. Georgios Samaras is the oldest in the team at 27. To play today with the style and quality they did cements the fact they are the champions without any question of doubt."
Given the callow nature of this Celtic side, not to mention the current state of play at Rangers – where at best the Ibrox club will stagger out of a company voluntary arrangement and lose some of their top players – this should be the first of many. It seemed a bit harsh to disrupt the manager's moment with thoughts of the future, but Lennon said last night he hopes to lead this young side to more titles, and is equally desperate to get through the Champions League qualifying ties in July to reach the group stages.
"We need to get more consistent in terms of winning championships, although it is a hard thing to do, and we would like to improve the club's status in Europe," he said. "No doubt we have to trim the squad and maybe enhance the squad with two or three players of undoubted quality, but that is for the future. For now I am delighted for the supporters. They have been behind this team since I took over, made Celtic Park a great place to play football again and they have brought the thunder back. It was there today and that means more to me than anything else."
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