Neil Lennon

[The Modfather]

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No Hibs manager has been able to replace McGinn/McGeough since they left.

Lennon did bring in Omeonga, who loads of folk liked and wanted to keep.

I was glad to see him go in the end, and think he should be sacked at Celtc, but I would defend his signings at Hibs.

Marciano, Ambrose, Mallan, Simon Murray did well, Swanson looked like he should be a good signing at the time. Kamberi, MacLaren, he brought Allan back, Bogdan, Milligan was a decent player who a lot of folk would have liked us to keep. Horgan, Holt.

I wouldn’t judge him too harshly on failing to replace 2 players who were still trying to replace. It’s not easy to do it. Lennon signed a lot of good players, that wasn’t the problem with Neil Lennon.

He signed 33 players in his time and only three are still here. Marciano, Allan & Mallan. Transfers were one of his biggest failings IMO

[calumhibee1]

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He signed 33 players in his time and only three are still here. Marciano, Allan & Mallan. Transfers were one of his biggest failings IMO

Reading through that list there’s only Marciano, Allan and Ambrose that I would say were real successes. Maybe Holt as well.The others were varying degrees of decent enough. And then as you say, there’s god knows how many others not listed who were generally garbage.

[Jones28]

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Reading through that list there’s only Marciano, Allan and Ambrose that I would say were real successes. Maybe Holt as well.The others were varying degrees of decent enough. And then as you say, there’s god knows how many others not listed who were generally garbage.

Mavrias was the most bizarre.

[calumhibee1]

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Mavrias was the most bizarre.

I’ve never seen a manager, especially of a team with a limited budget, who has signed so many players who hardly made it on the pitch.

Mavrias, Nelom, Rherras, big Dave, Eardley, McLean, Cammy Bell..

I don’t even know what half these guys looked like never mind if they were any good.

There’s no doubting he made some good signings but there was a very wide spectrum - a good chunk of them were abysmal. His signings at Celtic have proven to be more at the abysmal end of that spectrum.

[Brightside]

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I’ve never seen a manager, especially of a team with a limited budget, who has signed so many players who hardly made it on the pitch.

Mavrias, Nelom, Rherras, big Dave, Eardley, McLean, Cammy Bell..

I don’t even know what half these guys looked like never mind if they were any good.

There’s no doubting he made some good signings but there was a very wide spectrum - a good chunk of them were abysmal. His signings at Celtic have proven to be more at the abysmal end of that spectrum.

Who is Mclean? I've totally forgot him?

[calumhibee1]

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Who is Mclean? I've totally forgot him?

Brian McLean. Sure he was signed in the Championship from a team in Singapore but other than that I couldn’t tell you anything about him!

[J-C]

One of the biggest problems from what I was told is that Lennon wanted full control of getting players. Stubbs bought into the role as head coach and allowed the recruitment team to do their job, Lennon on the other hand used his agent and other contacts to bring in players, most of which were gash. Allan was here before and wanted back, Mallan was well known to the recruitment team and was a player in the style we had in the Championship, lost his way a bit, young talented and hungry. Rocky I think came from his agent. Efe was a success but got away with murder by turning up late at training which annoyed a lot of the players, look where Efe is now, right choice not to go back for him.
Lennon had no plan, tactics varied from week to week, team was a lottery and the squad was totally imbalanced.

[calumhibee1]

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One of the biggest problems from what I was told is that Lennon wanted full control of getting players. Stubbs bought into the role as head coach and allowed the recruitment team to do their job, Lennon on the other hand used his agent and other contacts to bring in players, most of which were gash. Allan was here before and wanted back, Mallan was well known to the recruitment team and was a player in the style we had in the Championship, lost his way a bit, young talented and hungry. Rocky I think came from his agent. Efe was a success but got away with murder by turning up late at training which annoyed a lot of the players, look where Efe is now, right choice not to go back for him.
Lennon had no plan, tactics varied from week to week, team was a lottery and the squad was totally imbalanced.

Part of the reason I’d still love Stubbs back. He had a cracking eye for a player whilst using the recruitment team to its fullest.

[Partyraiser]

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Brian McLean. Sure he was signed in the Championship from a team in Singapore but other than that I couldn’t tell you anything about him!

Brother of referee Stevie McLean. Brian played in my school team. He definitely played at least one game under lennon, perhaps in a cup tie?!

[calumhibee1]

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Brother of referee Stevie McLean. Brian played in my school team. He definitely played at least one game under lennon, perhaps in a cup tie?!

Forgot he was his brother!

[Jones28]

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I’ve never seen a manager, especially of a team with a limited budget, who has signed so many players who hardly made it on the pitch.

Mavrias, Nelom, Rherras, big Dave, Eardley, McLean, Cammy Bell..

I don’t even know what half these guys looked like never mind if they were any good.

There’s no doubting he made some good signings but there was a very wide spectrum - a good chunk of them were abysmal. His signings at Celtic have proven to be more at the abysmal end of that spectrum.

Jonathan Spector!

[Brightside]

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Jonathan Spector!

Spector was decent tbf. I'd have kept him. But he retired not long after so i assume he got injured.

[calumhibee1]

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Jonathan Spector!

Think he was Heckingbottom

[Keith_M]

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Part of the reason I’d still love Stubbs back. He had a cracking eye for a player whilst using the recruitment team to its fullest.

Every manager has pros and cons.

We made some fantastic signings under Stubbs and had great results against the bigger clubs but struggled too often against the 'smaller' clubs. We failed to get promoted two season on the trot, lost a cup final to Ross County but won the SC by beating Hearts, ICT, Dundee Utd then Rangers.

Our current manager has worked out how to rack up the points against the smaller clubs, but has struggled the last few times we've played Hearts and Aberdeen.


It would be great if we could get a manager that could give us the best of both worlds, but they would probably sod off to a bigger club as quickly as you could say, 'Hi Neil, that's Celtc on the phone...'

[Pagan Hibernia]

Lennon really does get under people’s skin doesn’t he. He’s gone nearly two years and he still provokes a visceral reaction in some people. Some like him, many dislike him intensely. Can’t think of many Hibs managers that were that divisive. As I’ve said before he did well at Hibs in my opinion, was the right man at that time, but it ran its course and it was in the best interests of both parties when he left. Don’t hate him at all, but don’t really care whether he gets the boot from Celtic.

[Jones28]

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Think he was Heckingbottom

He was, my mistake.

[H18S NX]

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Reading through that list there’s only Marciano, Allan and Ambrose that I would say were real successes. Maybe Holt as well.The others were varying degrees of decent enough. And then as you say, there’s god knows how many others not listed who were generally garbage.

...Pardon my ignorance,but who was He? Must be an age thing with me.

[calumhibee1]

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...Pardon my ignorance,but who was He? Must be an age thing with me.

The ‘Incredible’ Grant Holt!

[ABZHFC]

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Brother of referee Stevie McLean. Brian played in my school team. He definitely played at least one game under lennon, perhaps in a cup tie?!

Certain he played in the 1-0 win at Tannadice in March, when Cummings was sent off for scoring a perfectly legitimate headed goal that would have put us two goals up

[Andy74]

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I’ve never seen a manager, especially of a team with a limited budget, who has signed so many players who hardly made it on the pitch.

Mavrias, Nelom, Rherras, big Dave, Eardley, McLean, Cammy Bell..

I don’t even know what half these guys looked like never mind if they were any good.

There’s no doubting he made some good signings but there was a very wide spectrum - a good chunk of them were abysmal. His signings at Celtic have proven to be more at the abysmal end of that spectrum.

You should probably check out Stubbs full list of signings. When you sign a lot of players a number of those don't work out.

[calumhibee1]

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Every manager has pros and cons.

We made some fantastic signings under Stubbs and had great results against the bigger clubs but struggled too often against the 'smaller' clubs. We failed to get promoted two season on the trot, lost a cup final to Ross County but won the SC by beating Hearts, ICT, Dundee Utd then Rangers.

Our current manager has worked out how to rack up the points against the smaller clubs, but has struggled the last few times we've played Hearts and Aberdeen.


It would be great if we could get a manager that could give us the best of both worlds, but they would probably sod off to a bigger club as quickly as you could say, 'Hi Neil, that's Celtc on the phone...'

I personally think Stubbs gets a much harder time for his ‘failings’ than he should. He was competing in a Championship which contained Rangers, Hearts and a Falkirk side that reached the Scottish Cup final. A feat which any of the ‘smaller’ sides in the Championship will next to never manage. 3 very good sides way above the standard of a lot of the sides that were in the Premiership that year. And this was having taking over the worst Hibs team I’ve ever saw.

The second season we made two cup finals, won one and finished 3rd, again behind a very decent Falkirk team and Rangers. Both seasons we had similar points totals to the one that got us promoted but in much harder leagues. It’s a bit black and white imo to just point out he never got us promoted without considering the fact we were never favourites to get promoted and what he took over from.

He was a cracking manager at Hibs imo whether that’s his signings or his ability to manage the team.

[calumhibee1]

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You should probably check out Stubbs full list of signings. When you sign a lot of players a number of those don't work out.

Every manager will have players that don’t work out. Stubbs had 2 seasons and signed Logan, Gray, McGregor, Fontaine, Bartley, Boyle, Henderson, McGinn, McGeough, Malonga.. all of them very good signings for Hibs, some of them outstanding and one of them one of the best players a lot of us has seen at Hibs. I don’t think there can be any argument that signing wise he was on another planet to most managers we’ve had in recent history.

[Keith_M]

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I personally think Stubbs gets a much harder time for his ‘failings’ than he should. He was competing in a Championship which contained Rangers, Hearts and a Falkirk side that reached the Scottish Cup final. A feat which any of the ‘smaller’ sides in the Championship will next to never manage. 3 very good sides way above the standard of a lot of the sides that were in the Premiership that year. And this was having taking over the worst Hibs team I’ve ever saw.

The second season we made two cup finals, won one and finished 3rd, again behind a very decent Falkirk team and Rangers. Both seasons we had similar points totals to the one that got us promoted but in much harder leagues. It’s a bit black and white imo to just point out he never got us promoted without considering the fact we were never favourites to get promoted and what he took over from.

He was a cracking manager at Hibs imo whether that’s his signings or his ability to manage the team.

I was just pointing out that there are pros and cons of both.

Some people think Stubbs was the best thing since sliced bread and some feel the same about Lennon. Other people seem to be borderding on hatred with their PoV.


Personally, I think we should just move on and I don't really get why some people (BTW, I'm not meaning you ;-) ) get so worked up either way about people that left the club years ago.

[ABZHFC]

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You should probably check out Stubbs full list of signings. When you sign a lot of players a number of those don't work out.

All I'd say to this is while, yes, there were notable duds signed by Stubbs too, the squad he inherited was a basket case and it demanded dramatic additions. Lennon inherited one of our better squads of the twenty-first century, at a point where the club was at the highest of highs, but it is the pretty even ratio of good to dud players that he signed in his tenure that is arguably a big reason as to why it went wrong by the end of his time with us

[Andy74]

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Every manager will have players that don’t work out. Stubbs had 2 seasons and signed Logan, Gray, McGregor, Fontaine, Bartley, Boyle, Henderson, McGinn, McGeough, Malonga.. all of them very good signings for Hibs, some of them outstanding and one of them one of the best players a lot of us has seen at Hibs. I don’t think there can be any argument that signing wise he was on another planet to most managers we’ve had in recent history.

You are picking out some that worked and suggesting he was some sort of transfer genius. He signed 31 players. He signed 13 at St Mirren too and they were all failures. He undoubtedly signed some excellent players for us. One in particular a once in a generation signing that I think not even anyone at his really knew we were getting.

Managers also come in at different times with different squads in front of them and different needs.

Stubbs had a pretty blank page and could sign a number of players straight away that he wanted.

Lennon inherited a good team from Stubbs, largely, and only had to make a few signings initially then had to do more work later to replace some.

Anyway, over their managerial careers you'd be hard pushed to suggest Stubbs had more of an eye for a player than Lennon.

[calumhibee1]

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You are picking out some that worked and suggesting he was some sort of transfer genius. He signed 31 players. He signed 13 at St Mirren too and they were all failures. He undoubtedly signed some excellent players for us. One in particular a once in a generation signing that I think not even anyone at his really knew we were getting.

Managers also come in at different times with different squads in front of them and different needs.

Stubbs had a pretty blank page and could sign a number of players straight away that he wanted.

Lennon inherited a good team from Stubbs, largely, and only had to make a few signings initially then had to do more work later to replace some.

Anyway, over their managerial careers you'd be hard pushed to suggest Stubbs had more of an eye for a player than Lennon.

Yup, but the fact I can list so many massive successes really says a lot. I also missed Allan out on that list who was exceptional. The same can’t be done for Lennon, Heckingbottom or near enough any other manager we’ve had in recent history.

I can’t say I’m massively interested in their success rate at other teams. Stubbs was hands down the best operator in the transfer market we’ve had since Mowbray, maybe even longer and trying to play down his success by saying he didn’t know what he was getting with McGinn as if it was just a stab in the dark is laughably desperate.

[Brightside]

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Yup, but the fact I can list so many massive successes really says a lot. I also missed Allan out on that list who was exceptional. The same can’t be done for Lennon, Heckingbottom or near enough any other manager we’ve had in recent history.

I can’t say I’m massively interested in their success rate at other teams. Stubbs was hands down the best operator in the transfer market we’ve had since Mowbray, maybe even longer and trying to play down his success by saying he didn’t know what he was getting with McGinn is a laughably desperate attempt to down play it.

Remember he was signing players for the championship though, and as good as some of the players were we didnt get promoted until Hearts and rangers had moved on and Lennon has came onboard. Personally im more of a fan of the football that Stubbs played but it was at a much easier level than Ross or Hecky.

[ABZHFC]

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Yup, but the fact I can list so many massive successes really says a lot. I also missed Allan out on that list who was exceptional. The same can’t be done for Lennon, Heckingbottom or near enough any other manager we’ve had in recent history.

I can’t say I’m massively interested in their success rate at other teams. Stubbs was hands down the best operator in the transfer market we’ve had since Mowbray, maybe even longer and trying to play down his success by saying he didn’t know what he was getting with McGinn is a laughably desperate attempt to down play it.

I'd say, to give others who were at the club fair credit, Stubbs was willing to work in a recruitment system that did not always see him calling all the shots. From the signings Lennon made, I think this system slowly ceased to exist under his management, with an increasing number of players being 'his' signings, as showcased by the number of players who were on the books of his good friend and agent, Dudu Dahan, or those who had connections back to his days at Celtic

[calumhibee1]

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Remember he was signing players for the championship though, and as good as some of the players were we didnt get promoted until Hearts and rangers had moved on and Lennon has came onboard. Personally im more of a fan of the football that Stubbs played but it was at a much easier level than Ross or Hecky.

The fact he signed the vast majority of a team that won a cup, won a league and then competed so well in our first season back up as a Championship team just makes it all the more impressive.

[Brightside]

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The fact he signed the vast majority of a team that won a cup, won a league and then competed so well in our first season back up as a Championship team just makes it all the more impressive/

The Cup run was extraordinary. Our league form was very often not so great. As i said - I liked Stubbs. But a lot of his praise is due to that Cup win (and rightly so)