Neil Lennon’s first game as Celtic Manager

Neil Lennon took charge of Celtic for the first time 10 years ago today, in a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock. The game came only three days after a shameful performance and result, losing 4-0 to St Mirren. A result that cost Tony Mowbray his job.

Neil Lennon stepped into the manager’s role on an interim basis and the results were immediate. At least in attacking sense that is. The soft defensive underbelly was also evident, as the Celts tried to close out the match. It was too soon for that to have been addressed by Lennon, but it eventually would be.

After leaders Rangers’ 4-1 victory in the early kick off, Celtic’s win simply re-established a 10-point deficit at the top of the Scottish Premier League, but the win was a first, successful step in Lennon’s bid to win the job long-term.

Lennon made big decisions straight off the bat – five of them – Artur Boruc, Andreas Hinkel, Lee Naylor, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Scott Brown, back from suspension, replaced Lukasz Zaluska, Mark Wilson, Edson Braafheid, Ki Sung Yueng and Paul McGowan from the team that had cost Mowbray his job in midweek.

Celtic lined up on the day: Boruc, Hinkel, Naylor, Thompson, O’Dea, N’Guemo, Brown, McGeady, Keane, Samaras and Fortune. 41,000 fans at Celtic Park welcomed Neil Lennon in hope rather than expectation at that stage.

Celtic started well and took the game to Killie from the off. Robbie Keane and Aiden McGeady put in performances worthy of the shirt. Something that had been missing for some time.

Marc Anoine Fortune squandered the best of the early chances, heading over from all of four yards following a Georgios Samaras chip to the back post.

Cammy Bell in the Kilmarnock goal was a busy man, and he was forced into a fine save to turn a bobbling Samaras drive wide for a corner. Celtic were making openings and Keane was getting his touch in, though Cammy Bell saved twice at the feet of our borrowed striker.

And once he was limbered up our on-loan Tottenham man gathered a pass from Brown with his back to goal, slipped the ball through the legs of Simon Ford and Scott Severin then delicately chipped the ball over Bell. It was a reminder of why we were all so excited to see Robbie Keane sign on at Celtic. It was a top class piece of forward play, ended with the deftest of finishes.

McGeady was just as up for the games as Keane and Aiden came close to extending the lead on the stroke of half-time. His drive from just inside the area, struck the inside of the post and ricocheted across the face of goal before being gathered by Cammy Bell.

A good first half performance but only one goal to show for the efforts seemed a little unjust on Celtic. That was addressed in the second period.

Killie did look more dangerous after the break, but any thoughts of spoiling Lennon’s big day were ended when Keane picked up the ball wide on the right and blasted the ball into the far corner from an acute angle.

Celtic quickly added to their tally when McGeady’s mishit shot was side-footed home by Brown from 12 yards.

Then just as it was all looking a bit too good to be true that weakness at the back reared its head once again. Craig Bryson gave Killie some hope when his cross or was it a shot, looped over Boruc. It looked like the finish of a Brazilian winger over the head of David Seaman at the World Cup but in truth it was a lazily defended deflected goal off Lee Naylor’s back with Boruc half asleep. It evidenced Lennon he had his work cut out to organise his inherited backline. That weakness was rammed home when Alan Russell sent a drive against the top of the Celtic crossbar. It could easily have been 3-2 from a 3-0 advantage in the space of minutes but thankfully Celtic rode their luck.

In truth as an attacking side the traffic was mainly towards the Killie goal, with Wright clearing a close-range Samaras header off the line before McGeady matched the feat of Alan Russell and hit the bar from distance. It was harsh on McGeady who more than deserved a goal to add to his role as the day’s creative orchestrator.

It was entertaining game and it gave Neil Lennon first three points as a Celtic manager. Something he’d make a bit of a habit of in the years to come.

Before long it was In Lenny we Trust. As it is today.

Niall J

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About Author

As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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