Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has voiced his support for Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell. Maybe after being given the Celtic job in the shower at Hampden in May 2019 that’s hardly a surprise…
Neil Lennon, who worked with both Desmond and Lawwell during two separate periods as Celtic’s manager, has defended them as they come under intense scrutiny from supporters.
“I think it’s unnecessary, I don’t agree with it,” Lennon said via The Scottish Sun in response to the criticism aimed at majority shareholder Desmond and non-executive chairman Lawwell.
“Dermot is a genius, for me. Not just from a sporting point of view, but an intellectual point of view. He’s very successful, hugely successful, probably the most successful man I’ve ever come across, in terms of what he’s earned and generated and built in his career.”
Lennon added: “He’s on an intellectual level of no one else I’ve ever come across. He is very forward thinking, always looking to the future. He is very proactive, I have to say, in supporting Irish sportsmen, whether it be football, golf or Gaelic football. He loves his sport and he loves Celtic.”
While he acknowledged having clashed with Lawwell multiple times, he praised the 66-year-old for his sharp business sense.
“Peter is not only a great administrator but very astute,” Lennon continued. “I fell out with him loads of times, as you would do, over deals or contracts or whatever. But everything he did was for the betterment of Celtic Football Club. Every deal, every decision made, the club always came first.”
“I think they’ve brought great success. They’ve fought many battles for the club — many battles they’ve won against the odds. I just think the success the club has had since 2000 has been incredible. The amount of titles, Champions League, the UEFA Cup final, player trading, the money the club has, how well-run and sustainable the club is.”
Lennon said: “The health of the club is what they think about going forward. They know they’re not going to be there forever, but what they’ve achieved on and off the field, it’s incredible.”
“There’s no way Martin O’Neill, Brendan Rodgers, Gordon Strachan, managers of this ilk, would have come to Celtic if it hadn’t been for Dermot. No way, honestly.”
Conor Spence
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