web counter Celtic hero Neil Lennon emerges as surprise favourite for EFL manager’s job – Open Dazem

Celtic hero Neil Lennon emerges as surprise favourite for EFL manager’s job

NEIL LENNON is yet to return to management after his dismissal from a short-lived stint as boss at Rapid Bucharest last year.

But if one bookmaker is to be believed, he is the leading candidate to take over at an EFL club who have just sacked their manager.

Neil Lennon holding a Champions League microphone.
Kenny Ramsay

Neil Lennon has been doing punditry work of late[/caption]

The former Celtic and Hibs boss was tipped for the Motherwell job before it went to Michael Wimmer.

And he was also mentioned when there were vacancies at St Johnstone and Partick Thistle in recent times.

Ex-Hoops captain Lennon, 53, has gone abroad for his last two roles.

He won the Cypriot Cup with Omonia Nicosia in 2022 but left a few months after, joining Rapid Bucharest of Romania in May 2024.

But he was in charge for just six games – winning none – and has taken on regular punditry work in the meantime.

It now appears he could step back into the dugout in England, where he has managed before.

Lennon had a less-than-successful spell at Bolton Wanderers from October 2014 to March 2016 but he’s now being linked to a club from the other side of the Pennines in Barnsley.

The Colliers, currently tenth in League One, have just sacked Darrell Clarke after nine months at the helm.

Lennon has been listed as a 7/4 favourite to take over at Oakwell, according to Gambling.com.

Luca Connell is the captain of the club, and he worked under Lennon during his second reign as Hoops boss.


Former Barrow and Bolton boss Ian Evatt is second favourite at 2/1.

One of Lennon’s former Northern Ireland team mates, Michael Duff, is listed at 10/3 to return to the club he managed between 2022 and 2023.

Ex-Oxford United boss Des Buckingham is further adrift at 4/1 and further down the list are the likes of Leam Richardson and Ryan Lowe.

But interestingly, former Aberdeen interim manager Neil Warnock has been included as a shock outsider.

Warnock, 76, is believed to have retired from management for good and is currently an advisor for Torquay United.

But he can be found at 16/1 for the Barnsley job, with the market perhaps taking into account the proximity to Warnock’s hometown of Sheffield to Oakwell.

Neil Warnock, Aberdeen manager, smiling.
Getty

Neil Warnock at Ibrox during his brief stint as interim head coach at Aberdeen[/caption]

Queens Park Rangers supporters outside Barnsley Football Club.
PA:Empics Sport

Oakwell, home ground of Barnsley[/caption]

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