Neil Lennon: Manager who is standing on the shoulders of giants at Celtic

Little did he know the biggest change in the side he manages was that they would become virtually unbeatable in the SPFL title race.

The fact it took until the 27th game of their campaign before they tasted defeat - against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on February 25 - is a source of immeasurable pride to Lennon, and of a degree of frustration.

That's because he truly did believe they had the potential to complete the season without having their colours lowered.

Instead, he will have to settle for smashing the best points tally accumulated in his four seasons in charge - currently 93 in 2011-12 - and, of course, collecting the Hoops' third consecutive league championship.

Now Lennon stands on the brink of achieving a feat not accomplished by any Celtic manager since the late, great Jock Stein, winning four-in-a-row. Very few would bet against it, or that the domination of league titles will continue for many more years to come.

The debate about how much of the gloss is taken off by the fact there is no Rangers presence in the division carries no currency around Parkhead.

After all, everyone was told when the club from Ibrox went into liquidation and lost its place at the top table that the game in this country was going to hell in a hand cart, and with the turbos on full blast.

Yet, in the interim, the opposite has happened, as Celtic's performances in Europe and on the balance sheet have undoubtedly reflected.

With Aberdeen also enjoying a renaissance, finally winning their first trophy after a drought of 19 years, Motherwell continuing to see teams broken up, then rebuilt on a budget, but retaining their place at the top end of the table, Dundee United producing a team packed with exciting young talent, St Johnstone making a return to Europe and Inverness hoping to join them for the first time in their short history which now includes a cup final appearance, there is clearly life in the Scottish game yet.

What is just as clear, however, is that Celtic are head and shoulders above the rest, which requires a special mental discipline and inner motivation to remain as focused as they have been throughout this league campaign.

The difficulties they encountered last term, when trying to compete in the Champions League and retain their league title, have been reversed this time.

Lennon conceded: "I always thought it would be difficult to emulate last year. Now we look at what have done this season and say, 'Can we improve on that next season?' I think we can."

Lennon wants to get the balance right next time, when he hopes he does not have to contest the dangerously-early qualifiers and play-offs for the group stage while still trying to bed in new players who are being asked to replace mainstays of the previous team.

The margin of victory in this term's title race masks the real potential for damage which the sale last summer of Gary Hooper, Victor Wanyama and Kelvin Wilson carried.

Spurious claims this season's squad was stronger than last year's was more wishful thinking than serious assessment.

Even Lennon conceded that, selling £20million-worth of quality and not spending the same kind of cash to replace it, left his side vulnerable as they were in a state of transition, if not flux.

Sure, Virgil van Dijk has proved to be a more-than-adequate replacement for Wilson. But, it is only since some more prudent purchasing in the January window- with Stefan Johansen and Leigh Griffiths making an instant impact - that the side has begun to regain the balance which went with so many important players.

Which is why, the chances are, Lennon will look back on this title success as the most satisfying of his three as a manager.

The downside to his season has been the way his side tailed off so dramatically in the second half of the group stage of the Champions League, and failed to make the quarter-finals of either the League Cup of the Scottish Cup.

However, after qualifying for the Champions League, retaining the championship - and so securing the golden ticket to next season's qualifiers - has been the No.1 priority and the overriding focus for everyone at the club.

To have achieved their goal in record time, and with so many games to spare, speaks volumes for the professionalism shown by all involved.

It is a target which has been hit using 27 players, but a definite hard core of regulars, something which has not always sat well with those trying to break into Lennon's first-choice XI.

Now, many of the tried and trusted will be given a well-earned rest to ensure they are in the best possible condition when those not on World Cup duty report back for pre-season training on June 24.

By then, Lennon will hope to have added a few more signings.

He said: "I want to have a look at the squad, but I know what I've got.

"It needs a few adjustments for going forward to next season, and that is what we are now looking to do."

Perhaps even more importantly, he does not want to have to say goodbye to any of his key players.

Having been instrumental in generating around £50m for the club over the past couple of seasons from the sale of stars and twice qualifying for the Champions League, he is entitled to believe the time has come to retain his best Bhoys, augment the quality by raising the spending and wage budget and building from a position of strength - on the pitch and in the bank - to give the club the best possible chance of becoming truly competitive again in Europe.

Lennon has learned to become a pragmatist, and concedes: "There may be prudence involved as we go along, hopefully, for the short-term, anyway.

"It's just the environment we are in. It is difficult to accept, sometimes, but that is the reality of it."

However, it might require the club to unshackle itself from the financial restraints to keep Lennon's appetite whetted, and to lessen the appeal of any overtures from clubs who recognise the job he has done at Celtic Park since he was given his first managerial job four years and three championships ago this week.

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