Stupid timmys. Its because the truth about what he said to saint diouf will all come out. Theres cctv footage of it ye know
By ROGER HANNAH Last Updated: 28th April 2013 5 NEIL LENNON sparked a storm with his Player of the Year voting rant. He couldn’t believe four players had been shortlisted ahead of his title winners. Just 24 hours before that outburst, the Celtic boss spoke about his future after these little SPL rows. Lenny revealed: “If I was going to leave Celtic I would go to one of the big clubs in England.” The trouble is that, just like the PFA Scotland nominations, such decisions are out of his hands. I like Lennon. He’s bright, energetic and ambitious — three crucial qualities in a boss. He’s won two in a row, could yet secure a domestic Double and has taken Celts to the last 16 of the Champions League. Enough to make him a real contender for Manager of the Year along with the likes of Derek Adams. But is it enough to make him a contender for the big jobs he’d consider down south? Not yet. And there’s a four-man shortlist of candidates ahead of Lenny right now. His remarks about his future were delivered just hours before Jurgen Klopp’s finest hour. The Borussia Dortmund coach had already won two Bundesliga titles and two German Manager of the Year awards. But the 4-1 Champions League semi-final first-leg rout of Real Madrid was his crowning moment. To take Jose Mourinho back to school in such outrageous fashion won’t have gone unnoticed at Chelsea, Manchester City or Arsenal. The Blues, who will part with Rafa Benitez this summer, already have Manuel Pellegrini on their radar. Lennon has been rightly lauded for taking Celts to the last 16 after a momentous with against Barcelona. But this canny Chilean has led Villarreal to the semi-finals and Malaga to the quarters. He has the ear of Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson and is eager to coach in the Premier League. Michael Laudrup made the leap from La Liga to the Premier last summer — and has made a huge impact. He led Swansea to the Carling Cup and Euro qualification. Not bad on a CV which already boasts four trophies in Denmark and experience in Spain and Russia. Chairman Huw Jenkins extended Laudrup’s contract mid-season — doubtless with a pay hike included. But that may not be enough to scare off the big four if they opt for a change in the dugout. The fourth man who could block Lenny’s route — for now — to a big job in England is Antonio Conte. The impressive Italian ended Celts’ Champions League adventure with Juventus. He’s all but clinched back-to-back Serie A titles and is rated across the continent. What works against Lenny is that this quartet have done it in the biggest leagues. Too few bosses — no matter how talented — have been able to make the leap from the SPL summit to the top end of the English Premier. Nine in a row winner Walter Smith found himself at cash-starved Everton after his first stint at Ibrox. Dick Advocaat won five trophies in his first two seasons but never got the move he craved to England. Alex McLeish secured a Treble among other prizes but had to settle for a move to Birmingham City. Even Lennon’s mentor, Martin O’Neill, got no higher than Aston Villa or Sunderland despite sweeping all before him up here. Lenny’s now had three seasons of silverware with the Hoops and is right to cast a glance down south. He’ll turn 42 in June and there are already three younger bosses in England’s top-flight. If he jumps, maybe he’ll have to reluctantly settle for something further down the tree. A stepping stone from which to make the leap to one of the Premier League’s big boys. At that level, however, he’d be jousting for jobs with the likes of Roberto Martinez, David Moyes and Malky Mackay. It proves winning a top post in England is just as tough as winning Player of the Year in Scotland. Lennon deserves credit for his coaching talent and fierce defence of his own players. He may have overstepped the mark with his criticism of PFA Scotland but not as much as Brendan Rodgers overdid his backing for Luis Suarez. Yes, some Celts deserved a place on the shortlist. I said last week Kris Commons should win it. But in football, as in life, you don’t always get what you deserve. Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/hom...to-play-with-the-BIG-BHOYS.html#ixzz2RkQeaWhZ
