Monday 13 October 2014 19:43, UK
New Bolton manager Neil Lennon is thrilled to be back in football following a six-month break after leaving Celtic in May.
The 43-year-old, who spent four years at Celtic, insists he had no hesitancy in joining Wanderers, despite the club's lowly position at the bottom of the Championship table.
Following discussions with Bolton owner Eddie Davies, and chairman Phil Gartside in the last week, Lennon’s enthusiasm to fill the vacancy grew and he is confident about turning around the team's fortunes.
“I had six months out of the game, which I really enjoyed, but towards the end of it I was really starting to miss the game and walking out onto the training ground this morning was a fantastic feeling,” Lennon told Sky Sports News HQ.
“I’m really impressed with the facilities here, the training ground, obviously the stadium here, the academy, it’s actually a bigger club than what I expected, so I’ve been pleasantly surprised but obviously thrilled to get the job.
It’s a totally different experience from the time at Celtic where you’re the dominant team and you win most weeks, but the expectation is still huge. There’s a huge expectation level here cause it’s a big club and a big support, and we’re in a different situation where it’s a very unpredictable league, it’s very competitive, and we need to start putting a run of results together and show a bit more consistency than what we’ve been showing so far.
“I think it’s a great club, a great tradition in history. We’re in a difficult position at the minute and that compounded the feeling to come here because it’s a tremendous challenge. I think we’ve got some good players here.
“But for whatever reason we’ve not been performing to the standards the players know they are capable of, so hopefully we can turn things around and get Bolton moving back up the table pretty quickly.
“I got a really good feeling about it when I spoke to Phil Gartside the chairman on Wednesday, and then I met Mr Davies the owner on Saturday, and for me they are football people and my gut instinct said ‘yeah, this could be a great job, a great opportunity’ and from I’ve seen so far it’s been terrific. I’ve been made to feel obviously very, very welcome but I know what lies ahead.
“It’s a totally different experience from the time at Celtic where you’re the dominant team and you win most weeks, but the expectation is still huge. There’s a huge expectation level here cause it’s a big club and a big support, and we’re in a different situation where it’s a very unpredictable league, it’s very competitive, and we need to start putting a run of results together and show a bit more consistency than what we’ve been showing so far. That’s down to me and it’s also down to the players as well.”
Lennon confirmed he had been approached with a lucrative offer to take over Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, and was considering a switch to Jeddah when he was offered the chance to join Wanderers.
“There was an offer on the table,” Lennon said. “As I had no offers in front of me at the time it seemed like a viable prospect. They’re a big club in Jeddah, who play in the Asian Champions League as well, and obviously they made waves for me to go over. I’d just a few visa problems and then the opportunity to speak to Bolton came up.
“I always felt I wanted my future to be in England, so after 14 great years in Scotland I’ve got the opportunity now to work again in England. The North-West is a hotbed of football and Bolton’s right at the centre of that.”
The former Leicester midfielder spent much of his playing career in England, but readily accepts he will always be associated with Celtic after securing a string of league titles and domestic silverware during his glittering reign.
“I think part of the club will always stay with you,” Lennon said. “I had six months away from Celtic and it was a really tough decision to leave but I’ve never regretted it. I had a wonderful time. It was always be a huge part of my life, but now whole focus and my whole career going forward is with Bolton Wanderers. I want to make an impact here, I want to make people happy here, I want to bring the atmosphere back. I played here back in the day, it’s a fantastic atmosphere when the place gets going.
“Realistically we’ve got to get a level of performance and a consistency of performance, and I believe the players are capable of because I good core of players here. For one reason or another we’ve been under-performing and not getting the results and I need to try and rectify that alongside the players.
“They’re more than capable of doing it. I look at the squad and there is a core here who have been top players in this league and have been successful getting promoted out of this league and playing at a higher level.
“The infrastructure’s there within the squad. We just need to give them a little bit of TLC and a little bit of direction and I’m pretty sure we can start to find the consistency that we’re looking for. That was part of the reason to come here was the challenge that lay ahead. Totally different from the challenge that I had at Celtic, but this is the stimulus and one of the motivations for coming here.”
