Gerrard got more time than others would have at Rangers, claims Lennon
Martin Macdonald
- Updated: 23 Jun 2021 15:40 BST
Neil Lennon believes Steven Gerrard has been awarded more time than other managers would have been allowed as manager of Rangers.
Over the last couple of seasons the pair have squared off in charge of Celtic and Rangers respectively in the Scottish Premiership.
In the 2020/21 campaign the Bhoys were going for an unprecedented 10th top-flight title in a row, but were easily beaten to the league by Gerrard's resurgent Rangers.
In the end, Rangers finished a huge 25 points clear of their arch rivals, who sacked Lennon before the end of the season.
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It was the first trophy Liverpool legend Gerrard has won in his managerial career, though Lennon reckons it should be more and thinks the Englishman has benefitted from extra given time in the job.
"I think he's done a good job, yeah. He's won the league under a lot of pressure, which we all were," the ex-Celtic boss told talkSPORT.
"We know in Glasgow that we have to win. Steven maybe hasn't won as many trophies as he would have liked but he's done what he has set out to do.
"I think he maybe got a bit longer than some managers would have done. But he's got Rangers into a good position now."
When asked by interviewer Jim White as to whether Gerrard was given more time to succeed at Rangers due to his status as a former Premier League star, Lennon said:
"I don't know Jim, you'll have to answer that."
I think he maybe got a bit longer than some managers would have done - Neil Lennon on Steven Gerrard
- Lennon's replacement Ange Postecoglou
After Lennon's dismissal Celtic were linked with a raft of replacement managers including Eddie Howe, Steve Clarke, Roy Keane and Enzo Maresca.
They would eventually settle on a relative unknown within European football, however, as they appointed Australian Ange Postecoglou.
Lennon believes one of Postecoglou's first orders of business should be to do determine who actually wants to remain at the club this summer.
"I think it will be close this season," he said of the title race for 2021/22.
"First of all, they've got to sort out who wants to stay and who wants to go.
"Obviously there are four or five there who want to move on and then they've got to get the recruitment process sorted out as well.
"I think once they get the quality of players in that can be expected to challenge in Scotland, I think they will be alright. I don't think it will be as bad as everybody is making out."
🏆 “I think [the title race] will be close.”
🤝 “They have to sort out who wants to stay - there’s 4 or 5 angling to move.”
🙏 “Hopefully we’ll get fans next year, that was a huge loss to Celtic.”
Neil Lennon says #CelticFC will challenge #RangersFC for the title next season. pic.twitter.com/2sJmwuMNxw— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 22, 2021
Who is Ange Postecoglou?
Postecoglou was born in Greece before moving to Melbourne at age five.
From there, he developed a love of football from the United Kingdom in particular.
In his first interview with Celtic TV, he admitted to having a poster of Celtic legend Kenny Dalglish on his wall as a child.
He is very much known for his attacking philosophy when it comes to football. He likes to play flowing football on the pitch and for his players to instigate a high-press at the top of the pitch.
Though Postecoglou is perhaps not well-known to football fans in Europe, he enjoys a huge reputation in Asia.
He guided Australia to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and also to Russia in 2018, though he wasn't in charge for the latter tournament.
In 2019 he won the J-League with Yokahama.
