Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Celtic handed 'perfect' manager recommendation as Brendan Rodgers snubs Jose Mourinho
FORMER Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has ignored rumours surrounding Jose Mourinho and backed Neil Lennon to continue managing at the ‘amazing’ club.
Celtic ‘lacked energy’ in Rangers defeat says Lennon
Celtic are yet to appointed a permanent boss for next season despite Neil Lennon’s success as caretaker boss
Rodgers, who walked away from the club to join Leicester in February, has lavished praise on his successor, and backed Lennon to get the job on a permanent basis.
He said: “Neil's perfect for the job. He understands Celtic and the pressures involved there.
“The club will have many applications because it's an amazing club. People will want to go and work there.”
Lennon has won eight of his 11 fixtures since taking over from Rodgers in February, drawing the other three.
The former Hibernian boss has now won three league titles with the club after securing back to back triumphs from in 2013 and 2014.
The 47-year-old has made his desire to remain in the role clear, and Rodgers has backed his claim to the job.
He continued: “Not many will understand the expectations of Celtic, especially going for the ninth title next year. Neil gets that fully.
“We're both attacking coaches but we have different styles.
“So come the end of the season, it'll be important that he's allowed to get his style of player in to suit his attacking philosophy.
“Then he can then continue and take it on from there.”
Lennon was asked again about his plans for next season last week, and reiterated that he is unaware of what Celtic have in the pipeline.
He said: “I don’t know. I just want to enjoy this moment and see my family because I haven’t spent much time with them.
“I’ll take stock of things over the next couple of days.
"There are plans in place going forward, there are going to be changes staff-wise behind the scenes that we obviously need to do.
"But right now I just want to live in the moment.”