As Celtic picked up three precious points away from home at St Johnstone this afternoon, the Hoops pull eleven points clear of Hibs in third place, effectively sealing second place (yes I know, even typing that was depressing), Champions League football, albeit in the the second qualifying round, is just about sealed for next season.
Ex Celtic goalkeeper, Pat Bonner, says the Hoops board MUST sort out the management situation as soon as possible to give the club the opportunity to prepare fully for European competition and that if the man is Neil Lennon, the Parkhead board need to sort it out now.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Bonner said, “Most of us would have been talking about this whole situation about making decisions about who is going to be the manager and if it’s going to be Neil Lennon. This is where the issue is I think at this moment in time we talk about reconstruction. We talk about getting things ready for next year.
“It’s so difficult. If you leave those big decisions almost into say June or July or whatever it is, and then you’re into Champions League qualifiers, that’s that’s the problem the biggest issue of all, I think, if Neil Lennon is going to be the manager next year. Then, let’s let’s sort it out, let’s sort it in the next couple of months. Don’t leave it until July or June.
“And if a new person comes in that’s that’s worse if you leave it till then because you end up then with a situation where the new man coming in. It has to be a Director of Football with Peter Lawwell going, because he’s the man is in charge of the signing and so on and that all has to be changed.
“So those are huge, huge decisions to help Celtic to get themselves into a challenging position next year. And let’s face it if Rangers win the league then we’re into that sort of competition. But the big thing for, I think, for both clubs, is how well can they do, and European competition that’s just a measurement.”
The thought of the current gaffer being kept on for next season will bemuse the majority of Celtic fans. The Parkhead faithful are expecting a major signing in that department to oversee the rebuild in the summer, but with Lennon seemingly actively looking for targets to strengthen the team, is the unthinkable feasible? Will Lennon be the manager next season? Only time will tell.
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