Neil Lennon appointed manager of AC Omonoia Nicosia

Neil Lennon has this afternoon been appointed as the new manager of Cypriot side Athletic Club Omonoia Nicosia signing a contract that will keep him in the capital of Cyprus until the summer of 2024.

The Cypriot side released a statement this afternoon announcing the news which confirms the appointment of the former Celtic manager and this brings to an end Neil Lennon’s year-long search for another management job after leaving Celtic amid what was a torrid, frustrating and entirely unsatisfactory final season in charge.

Yet Neil Lennon’s record at Celtic – outside of that terrible year where the consequences of the Covid pandemic seemed be handled very poorly at the 9IAR Champions and the chance to complete the elusive ten escaped the Irishman. In that regard he joins Jock Stein and Walter Smith as manager’s who tried and failed to win a tenth consecutive title. It has to be said that Neil Lennon paid a much heavier price for his own failure to deliver that accolade.

Still that is now water under the bridge. Ange Postecoglou has made Celtic competitive again and are currently three points clear at the top of the table with eight games remaining – that’s one year to the day after theRangers fans celebrated winning their new club’s first ever title.

Best of luck to Lenny in his new job.

The translation of the Omonoia statement announcing Neil Lennon’s appointment reads as follows:

We would like to inform you that we have proceeded to hire Mr. Neil Lennon as the coach.

The cooperation contract lasts until the summer of 2024.

Neil Lennon is 50 years old, originally from Northern Ireland and has a long successful career as a coach.

He worked for six years for one of Scotland’s biggest teams, Celtic, which he coached in 335 games, winning five league titles, four cups and a league cup. In addition, in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons it managed to achieve Celtic’s entry into the Champions League groups, while in one year the team also qualified for the “16” phase of the tournament.

He also did a great job at Hibernian, where he sat on the bench in 122 games. He managed to bring the team back to Scotland’s first division as the Championship champions, after a three-year absence, while the following season he finished in 4th place, winning a “ticket” to the Europa League.

Photo: Andrew Milligan

He has been named coach of the year three times and is the only one to have won the treble in Scotland as a coach and footballer. Also, especially during his presence at Celtic, he managed to highlight several young players.

For the past year, Neil Lennon has chosen to stay off the bench. In a recent interview, he commented on this fact: “I liked this calmer way of life: you invest a little more time in yourself as a person and in your loved ones. I rested, I feel fresh and I am excited for any challenge that comes in front of me “.

As a footballer, Neil Lennon made 305 appearances for Celtic, winning five league titles, four FA cups, two League cups, and in 2003 reached the UEFA Cup final. He also played for Leicester City and Manchester City, as well as for the Northern Ireland national team.

We welcome Mr. Neil Lennon to the OMONIA family and wish him every success.