NEIL LENNON last night admitted he was "disappointed" not be given the chance to manage Celtic for a second time.
However, the club legend believes Brendan Rodgers to be a brilliant appointment and insisted there was no bitterness in being overlooked after going through the interview process for his old job.
Lennon has now been two years away from Celtic Park and confessed to missing the intensity which goes with leading the club, something he would welcome back to his life.
But for the time being he will remain a supporter and backed the man who beat him to his old position to bring success to the club.
Lennon said: "I wasn't hurt, no. Disappointed, yes. What's for you can't go by you. I need to look at something else now and get a new challenge.
"It wasn't really an interview, it was more like meeting up again. We just chatted things through about the team and the club and what they would need to take it forward again.
"After the Bolton experience it would have to be the right job. I've got plenty to offer. Celtic appealed to me, but they have picked a really good candidate in Brendan, he's a great manager, so we will see what happens in the future."
Lennon admitted that he missed the life of being Celtic manager and that is why he wanted to go back.
He said: "It was hard to give it up the first time but I did it for personal reasons. It's quite intoxicating when you're involved with Celtic and I love the club anyway. I just felt it might have been a good time to get back in.
“It's just the intoxication of it all and the intensity. Most weekends you are winning so your weekends are pretty good whether you are a player or a manager.
"It's just the whole buzz around the club and it looks like there are good times on their way back - that's the reaction that Brendan's managerial appointment is bringing.
“I got down to the last however many candidates, so it was good to go through the interview process for experience as much as anything else. So we will see what comes up. I have an offer from abroad that I am considering, but I'm not in a big rush to take it up."
Lennon might have been overlooked by Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell but could see that the appointment of Rodgers meant to the supporters who turned up in their thousands to greet the new man last Monday.
Lennon said: "It just shows you the interest is still there. With Rangers coming back, the parity is restored and there's a real buzz and excitement about the place.
“He's a got a good pedigree and you can see what it means to the supporters. I know what the club would mean to Brendan because we come from similar backgrounds. He'll love it and I am sure he's looking forward to it.
“I know Brendan well. I actually went to watch him coach at Reading. I saw him again when we played them in the cup at Liverpool.
"He can phone me any time, but he knows that anyway. I texted him to congratulate him on the job and if he needs anything, which he probably won't because he is experienced enough anyway, then it's not a problem."
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