Neil Lennon has been back at Celtic for a little over a week.
Neil Lennon returned to Celtic on an interim basis last week following Brendan Rodgers’s shock departure for Leicester City.
Lennon managed the Hoops very successfully for four years until 2014 and is familiar with some of the squad that he has inherited.
The Northern Irishman has previously worked with eight current Celtic players – Emilio Izaguirre, Nir Bitton, Scott Brown, Tom Rogic, Mikael Lustig, Leigh Griffiths, James Forrest and Callum McGregor – but there’s quite a few who he hasn’t coached.
With that in mind, the 47-year-old has revealed ahead of Saturday’s visit of Aberdeen that he has had a sit-down with the likes of Dedryck Boyata, Kristoffer Ajer and academy gem Kieran Tierney in an effort to get to know them better.
He told Celtic TV: “Important to me, very important just to get to know them. I think it is important for a manager, not only to look at the player as a footballer but as a human being as well.
“I had a one on one with Kris, Dedryck, some of the injured boys as well and KT.
“Obviously, I know the likes of James, Mikael, Scott Brown, Tom Rogic. It’s been a nice transition into the job.”
Centre-halves Boyata and Ajer were signed by Lennon’s successor Ronny Deila, who also brought Tierney into the senior side.
All three started at Easter Road last Saturday as Lennon oversaw a 2-0 victory away to Hibernian, whom he left earlier in 2019, and the same defensive trio could well face the Dons this weekend.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
