FORMER Celtic manager Neil Lennon admits to feeling inspired by Ange Postecoglou - adding that the current Parkhead boss' career was the 'catalyst' for the Northern Irishman's decision to coach overseas.

Lennon was relieved of his duties as Celtic manager in February of last year with the club's bid for ten-in-a-row in tatters and spent some time away from the game before agreeing to take charge of Cypriot club Omonia Nicosia in March.

The former Bolton and Hibernian manager has been impressed with Postecoglou's work since the Greek-Australian was handed the reins at Parkhead and revealed his admiration for the former Yokohama F. Marinos boss in an interview with PLZ Soccer's Football Show.

Lennon is impressed with everything Postecoglou has achieved so far and admitted that the well-travelled coach's career inspired him to move outside of his comfort zone.

"He’s been brilliant," Lennon said of his successor. "He’s been a breath of fresh air.

"His style of football is great to watch. The way he comes across in the media – he’s pretty straightforward. I think he’s genuinely a really good guy and I’ve spoken to him on a lot of occasions.  

"He has rebuilt the squad – which needed doing, everybody knew that – but some of the players he’s brought in have been fantastic.

"He’s on the cusp now of winning the title, which would be a remarkable achievement.

"I love [the style of play]. I think it’s all front-foot, they don’t change their manner who they’re playing and they try and win games early. And if they can’t win them early then they just try and win the game in the best way that they can.

"I have taken a leaf out of his book. Ange has been in Australia, he’s been in Japan, now he’s been in Scotland. So I’m looking at it thinking ‘why not go abroad and broaden your horizons and take on a different culture?’.

"Looking at what Ange has done over the last year and his body of work – that was the catalyst for me doing it."