Celtic's Neil Lennon says 'I'm here to do a job and I've done it' after title is secured
- Published
Watch: Celtic players and staff celebrate eighth successive title with supporters
Neil Lennon says any manager who succeeded Brendan Rodgers at Celtic this season would have needed "the hide of a rhinoceros and big cojones".
Lennon took charge in February after Rodgers left for Leicester City with his side one third of the way towards a third treble in a row.
Lennon secured Celtic's eighth successive title on Saturday, with the Scottish Cup final to come.
"I certainly have a rhino hide," Lennon said after the 3-0 win at Aberdeen.
"On the outside it probably looks easy but on the inside there was a lot of discontent and agitation around the club at the time. You had to keep calm.
"I'm here to do a job and I've done it. I didn't ask for the job - I got asked to do it short term. I am pleased with my staff for helping me through it.
"Some of the performances weren't great but we are unbeaten in 11 games so the standard and expectation is very, very high."
Lennon thanked chief executive Peter Lawwell and major shareholder Dermot Desmond for "entrusting me with getting the job done" and also paid tribute to fellow Northern Irishman Rodgers "because he's laid the foundations for all this".
Under Rodgers, Celtic beat Aberdeen to retain the League Cup and had already established an eight-point lead over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
Lennon's side are now 12 ahead of their city rivals having played a game more and the former Celtic midfielder has now secured his sixth trophy in two spells as their team boss.
"These are great moments in your life and career and you have to savour them," he told BBC Scotland's Sportsound. "We kept really calm this week and eventually burst over the line with a bit of a swagger, which is something I've looked for for a little while."
Five games that helped Celtic win eight in a row
'The fans are talking about 10 in a row'
Lennon realises that Celtic fans will be thinking of beating the nine-in-a-row title runs achieved by their club from 1966-74 and Rangers from 1989-97.
"The fans are talking about nine and 10, but let's enjoy eight first," he said. "It was a great way to get over the line and now we can enjoy it.
"That was the big one for me personally coming in to get the league title in the bag."
Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney, who will need an operation at the end of the season, was taken off during the second half and Lennon confirmed "he will be wrapped up in cotton wool until he is ready to play again ahead of the cup final" against Hearts on 25 May.
Billy McNeill, who captained Celtic to European Cup final victory in 1967, and Stevie Chalmers, who scored the winning goal, have both died this month.
Asked if the title would be dedicated to the club legends, Lennon added: "Why not? I can't think of two more worthy people to dedicate to. If the Celtic fans and the board want to do that, I would be 100% behind that."
'They've done it in style' - analysis
Former Celtic goalkeeper and BBC pundit Pat Bonner
In the second half, that was probably the best performance I have seen from Celtic under Neil Lennon. They created chances and controlled the game.
They've done it in style today and they've done Billy proud.
