Former Celtic captains Paul Lambert and Neil Lennon are being considered for the vacancy in the Aberdeen dugout, according to a report.
The Scottish Sun state that Martin O’Neill favourites Lambert and Lennon trail Jack Ross as favourite. However, both are said to be interested and viable options for the Dons.
The report also states that two other former Celts are in Aberdeen’s thoughts. Paul Hartley, who won two league titles with the Hoops, is a name being linked. So, too, is Jim Goodwin, who came through the Hoops Academy, and has done excellent work with St Mirren.
Paul Lambert hasn’t managed in Scotland since an ill-fated spell with Livingston in 2005. Since then, though, he’s made significant waves in England. At Norwich City, he gained back-to-back promotions, and has been inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame [BBC]. In a subsequent stint at Aston Villa, he guided the youngest side in the Premier League to a 15th placed finish, and reached the semi-finals of the League Cup.
Lennon, of course, has been out of a job since leaving Celtic in February of 2020. He’s been most recently linked to Sunderland, but lost out to Alex Neil.
For both managers, Aberdeen would be an interesting prospect. For Lambert, it’d be a chance to regain some managerial kudos after a difficult spell at Ipswich Town. Lennon, too, could use a reputation boost after the latter end of his second reign at Celtic, of course.
Former Celtic captains Paul Lambert and Neil Lennon would both make an interesting hire for Aberdeen
There’s something of a history in Aberdeen appointing ex-Celtic captains, of course.
Billy McNeill had a great spell at the Dons, finishing runner-up in the league (ahead of Celtic) in the late 70s, signing players like Gordon Strachan and Neil Simpson and setting things up nicely for one Mr Alex Ferguson.
And, if either Lennon or Lambert got the job at Pittodrie, they’d have a former Celtic captain front and centre of their playing squad. Scott Brown is both captain and a coach in the Granite City.
How both managers could use some redemption. Stephen Glass tried and failed to implement a new playing style in the North East, after years of mildly successful pragmatism under Derek McInnes. Neither Lambert nor Lennon are exactly Johan Cryuff in comparison, but there are certainly decent players at Aberdeen.
Lambert seems like he’d be the more popular choice out of the two for Aberdeen supporters, who didn’t exactly take to life under Stephen Glass. But both he and Lennon need a bounce-back stint somewhere, having suffered some blows in their most recent managerial jobs.
The Dons will have interesting choices to make here.
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