Centre-Stage

Neil Lennon talks Champions League qualification, preparing for another busy campaign and building on tremendous success

- Joe Donnelly

THIS week in 2011, Neil Lennon – then newly-appointed as permanent Celtic manager having taken over as interim boss months prior – prepared his side for a pre-season friendly against Cardiff City. A single Anthony Stokes goal proved the difference on the night, and the Hoops kicked off their competitive calendar four days later, when they travelled to Easter Road for the start of the SPL campaign.

Fast forward eight years, and the Treble Treble-winners’ competitive fixtures arrive slightly earlier. On Wednesday, Neil Lennon – now newly-appointed as permanent Celtic manager for a second time, having taken over as interim boss in February – prepared his side for their UEFA Champions League first qualifying round return leg against FK Sarajevo.

They did so with a convincing 3-1 aggregate lead, putting three away goals on the board, and followed that up with a well-contested goal-less friendly against Stade Rennais last Saturday.

The manager has stressed on several occasions that he has returned to his boyhood heroes determined to build on recent successes, and, for him, that starts with reaching the group stages of club football’s most prestigious competition.

“I want this club to be competing on the big stage,” said Neil Lennon in an exclusive interview with the Celtic View. “The Champions League is a Blue Riband event. I don’t want to over-talk it because you can end up with egg on your face, but that’s what we want, that’s what we’re trying to do here.

“Whether we can do it or not, time will tell. We might need a little bit of luck in the games, perhaps a little bit of luck with the draw as well, but we’ll give everything we have on and off the pitch to make it happen.