Neil Lennon ponders Celtic legacy poser as Champions League progress determined the benchmark of legends

They sit just one title away from the magical, mystical 10 – and the iconic 
status that comes with it. But when you mention Lennon in the same breath as Willie Maley, Jock Stein and Martin O’Neill, for example, it doesn’t sit right with him. He accepts that if he secures that
 10th championship flag and enjoys another year of trophy success, he’ll be part of history. And O’Neill, his mentor who walked in the door at Parkhead 20 years ago, will forever be revered for that run to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003. Until Lennon makes an indelible mark on Europe like those two, he will remain 
reluctant to talk about himself in the same sentence as their names. When asked if he’d be up there 
with Maley, Stein and O’Neill should 10 in a row be achieved, Lennon said: “It depends on how people view it. Can we make inroads in Europe because that’s really where the gravitas comes from, on top of the domestic stuff. “But I have plenty of time and 
hopefully I have good days ahead to look forward to when I can achieve that. “We’ve won our 11th domestic trophy in a row, which is an incredible statistic for any club. “It shows remarkable consistency from the players and the motivation is there to continue that run for as long as we can. “Then in 15 or 20 years we’ll be talking about these great players as part of the club’s rich tapestry.” The Northern Irishman would go on to wrest the title back from Rangers, win a Treble and go on that glory run to Seville. Lennon was part of all that as a player so does he feel he could now be coming into the peak of his managerial years – just like his old gaffer – despite the success he’s had already? That’s why Lennon is urging the SPFL to delay the first game between the pair until punters are allowed back following the Covid-19 outbreak. Having watched big Bundesliga games behind closed doors, Lennon accepts that Scotland’s biggest derby without fans would be a surreal experience. The 
virtual season ticket will
give them an opportunity to see games if they can’t be there, which is brilliant from the club. “Hopefully in the not-too-distant future we’ll have supporters and players back in unison again, in the same stadiums with the same atmospheres. “I watched Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund recently, which is the biggest game in Germany. “The actual quality of football was brilliant but it was surreal watching it without supporters.