“They need to spend. I think they need a bit more power in their team,” Neil Lennon’s Celtic advice

Neil Lennon is back in Scotland after winning the Cypriot Cup with new club Omonia Nicosia only a few short months into the job.

It’s been an impressive start to Lennon’s first overseas job, and after speaking to BBC Sportsound about that yesterday the conversation inevitably turned to his former club’s successful season, and Lennon offered some recruitment advice to Ange Postecoglou.

“They need to spend. I think they need a bit more power in their team. I think they need another centre forward to play through the middle, just a bit more physicality. They’re small but they’re quick and dynamic players who use the ball really well.

“But when you take that huge step up from Scottish football to European football they’ll need more strength in depth.

“McGregor has been a revelation throughout his career but he needs a bit of help. Losing Rogic was a blow because he’s a mercurial type of player so they’ll need a No.10 to augment what they have in midfield.

“But they’ve got the potential now to spend some decent money because obviously they get a huge windfall from being in the Champions League.

“It’ll be fantastic for Ange. He’s done amazing things in Australia, Japan and now Scotland but to take that step onto the Champions League, he should be looking forward to it.”

Lennon it must be said sounded in a confident frame of mind and appeared relaxed and jovial in yesterday’s interview. It appears he’s hoping to play some golf and catch-up with some old faces before he gets down to the business of finding replacement for his own out of contract players at Omonia Nicosia, and after all the trials and tribulations of that last Covid hit season with Celtic, it was good to hear the former Celtic manager sounding back to his best.

Now whether it was wise for Lennon to offer his opinion on the current squad of players at Celtic will no doubt be debated, but it was always going to be a question that was asked and Lennon couldn’t exactly skirt the issue, and so just as we as fans have opinions on where Celtic can improve next season, so too does Lennon.

IMAGO / PA Images Celtic v Motherwell – cinch Premiership – Celtic Park Celtic’s Giorgos Giakoumakis celebrates scoring his sides fifth goal during the cinch Premiership match.  Saturday May 14, 2022. Photo Jane Barlow

In terms of the physical nature of the current squad Lennon may well have a point, although Giorgos Giakoumakis arguably provides that physical presence in attack already, with perhaps a ball carrier who can play along the whole frontline more of an option to add layers to this Celtic attack, rather than a big target man. And with Rogic leaving another central midfielder may well be the order of the day, although again the arrival of Matt O’Riley it already seems as if that conundrum was solved in January.

Celtic v Midtjylland – UEFA Champions League – Second Qualifying Round – First Leg – Celtic Park Midtjylland’s Ferreira Evander (not pictured) scores their side’s goal  passed Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas  Tuesday July 20, 2021. Photo Jeff Holmes

One of the big blocks to Ange Postecoglou’s summer recruitment issues may well surround the offloading of the likes of Vasilis Barkas, Boli Bolingoli, Albian Ajeti and Ismaila Soro – big signings making good money at Celtic who are now in danger of impacting Ange Postecoglou’s ability to bring in new players – and purchased on Neil Lennon’s watch. Although it would be remiss not to point out Neil Lennon did not appear to have the same level of autonomy on decision making at Celtic as Ange Postecoglou now appears to have – after all Postecoglou does not have a de facto Director of football to contend with.

Moving these players on however is just as important job as who Celtic bring in this summer, and clearing the decks will certainly free up the wage bill for fresh faces. But will they all be shifted this summer or will the ghosts of past recruitment linger and impact on plans for upcoming transfer windows?

That may well be as tough a task for new CEO Michael Nicholson as any deal he may negotiate to bring in new players. Perhaps if Neil Lennon is looking for some new talent of his own next season, there are a few players he knows well surplus to requirements at Celtic that could do a job in Cyprus.

Niall J

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.

2 Comments

  1. Jim O'Rourke on

    People like Walker, commons and nicholas give their opinion about Celtic all the time and seldom praising them so why shouldn’t Neil? He gave so much for his club as a player and a manager. Last season was a disaster we all know it but it seems to be getting blamed on two people by a lot of Celtic fans Neil Lennon and peter lawwell. Watching the abuse both Celtic men got from our own fans was awful to watch for me.

  2. I think it was Desmond who wanted Lennon, and thats why it was so hard to get rid of him when he inevitably struggled; most fans saw the writing on the wall as soon as his appointment as manager during the Scottish Cup celebration was announced!

    On Ange having full autonomy, I’m thinking not, or at least not at first!? Scales was likely a ‘Desmond signing’, though tbf he is a decent player, though i thought he was a lot younger; he’s 24 this year.