Martin O’Neill has praised Neil Lennon’s achievements in football management ahead of their first meeting in opposite dugouts in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final.
The Celtic boss will come up against his ex-captain, now in charge of Dunfermline, after years of Lennon playing under O’Neill at both Leicester City and Celtic during highly successful spells.
Reflecting on Lennon’s influence during his playing days, O’Neill said via The Herald: “Neil Lennon has been fantastic for me as a player, absolutely fantastic. He pulled it round at Leicester City when I needed help big time, and he came to this football club. I chased him for about six months and finally got him.
“And what he did for the football club here in that time, in what I would call a really splendid time for the SPL, was fantastic.
“Then what he goes on to do as a manager here – his record as a player and as a manager at this football club, I think it’s unsurpassed.”
O’Neill also revealed he never doubted Lennon would adapt naturally to life in management once his playing career ended.
“There are a lot of players that I’ve managed that might have surprised me by going into management and doing well. Neil Lennon, what he’s done, did not surprise me,” he said.
“Obviously he loved playing but when he stepped into managing and coaching, I knew he’d be successful. I just knew he would do it because he had it within him. It’s there, it’s in his character.”
The upcoming Hampden showdown rounds off a remarkable season for O’Neill, whose side secured the Premiership title in dramatic fashion after a seven game winning finish to the campaign.
Speaking ahead of the final, he said: “I’m really looking forward to the game. You wouldn’t believe how much I’m looking forward to it.
“Winning the league is like a weight off your shoulders because you’ve been carrying it around for quite some time.
“We were trying to get into the picture, lost a lot of ground at Tannadice, fought back brilliantly and won the last seven games. We got in front at the end and it was wonderful.”
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