NEIL LENNON has signalled his determination to keep his title-winning side together after Celtic lifted the club's 44th championship when defeating Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4-1 at Parkhead yesterday.
"During the 90s the club was starved of success," said the Celtic manager. "Martin [O'Neill] came in and sort of revolutionised what was going. He brought a winning mentality to the club and Gordon [Strachan] has carried that on. I think that's the eighth championship in 13 years so the club is in rude health now. We have developed a domination of the championship now, which is fantastic."
Lennon, who watched the match from the stand as he serves an SFA ban, confirmed he had already started planning for the challenges of the William Hill Scottish Cup final against Hibernian on May 26 and the Champions League qualifiers in July.
Four players – Joe Ledley, Victor Wanyama, Biram Kayal and Kris Commons – will be given an immediate holiday and five others will be given a break after the Motherwell game at the weekend.
The Celtic manager said signings were not yet imminent and insisted his immediate focus was on retaining players. Gary Hooper, who scored twice yesterday to take his season's tally to 28 goals, has been linked with a series of Barclays Premier League clubs but Lennon said he had made a submission to the board over the Englishman.
"We will do what we can to keep him. I still think there is a chance he will stay. That's my feeling, although I've not really spoken to his agent lately at length," said Lennon of the striker signed from Scunthorpe United for £2.4m.
"I would like to keep Gary here, because he is such an important player. Goalscorers are at a premium and he is only 24. He is one of those players we feel is really settled here and who feels at home. I've made my submission to the board and we are hoping to get a final outcome on it one way or another," he said.
He was also keen to keep "the core of the team". "They have been magnificent," he said. "The three boys who scored today [Ledley, Georgios Samaras, Hooper] have been brilliant since I came in. Kris Commons, Charlie Mulgrew, James Forrest, Adam Matthews, Wanyama and Kayal have all contributed greatly. Kelvin Wilson is another; he's had a fantastic season and has really settled in to what we have asked of him."
He added: "What they have achieved this year has shown they can compete against the best, while still being pretty strong domestically. That's what we want to achieve every year."
The club has already started to work towards crucial Champions League fixtures on July 16/17. The early holidays are part of that strategy and Lennon is looking to recruit players.
"We haven't pushed the button on anything yet. We are still in the process of trying to identify players who will make us better in the areas which need strengthened and who fit the monetary bracket we are working in," he said.
"We don't want to break the wage structure because one thing which is really important is team spirit. These players, who are not on huge amounts of money, have really raised the bar here over the last couple of years."
He emphasised his pride in players who have brought him two titles and a Scottish Cup in his spell as a manager.
"Today was indicative of the way they have played over the three years I have been in charge. When they really put their minds to it they can show what a great team they are.
"I know from my own personal experiences over the years that winning the championship is the ultimate goal for any professional in football. I hope the players enjoy the moment."
Asked if a second successive championship signalled a period of extended dominance, Lennon said: "I never predict what's ahead in football. We are in a good financial position with the Champions League and what we would like again is another qualification campaign for the group stages. Whether we dominate domestic football, I don't know. We've been patient , the board have been prudent and took a lot of criticism for that. But we are reaping the benefits of now."
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