Celtic: Neil Lennon offered manager's job after sealing treble treble

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has been offered the job permanently an hour after his side secured a treble treble by beating Hearts 2-1 in Saturday's Scottish Cup final.

Lennon took over after Brendan Rodgers left for Leicester City in February.

"It's been my privilege to manage the club once," the Northern Irishman told Celtic TV. "To do it a second time, I feel like I've come full circle again."

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said "there's no better candidate".

And Lawwell, who said the offer would have been made whether Celtic had won or lost the cup final, added: "Neil, in our moment of need, stood up to the plate. Over the next few days, we will work out the details.

"We're absolutely delighted. Fantastic day, fantastic achievement today - probably never to be repeated.

"At this point in terms of looking at the squad, there's nobody better that I've worked with who's got a better eye for a player. I think it's better to do that [offer him the job] tonight to just kill the speculation."

Former midfielder Lennon led Celtic to five trophies during his first spell in charge of the team from 2010 to 2014, having previously captained the club.

And the 47-year-old, who was initially placed in charge until the end of this season after Rodgers' departure, said: "It was always my objective. I left on good terms the last time and it's been a rollercoaster couple of months - difficult, but I hope I bring a lot more success to the club going forward.

"The work's already begun really. There will be changes, obviously, but I don't want to change too much because it's been a really good transition between myself and Brendan."

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'We all found out on Twitter'

Celtic captain Scott Brown was originally interviewed post-match giving his backing to Lennon being offered the job.

After news eventually found Brown, he said: "It's phenomenal. It can't get much better.

"We all found out on Twitter and all the lads are diving about in the changing room. We went out, got the gaffer and brought him back in. The cheer for the manager to get the job - it was phenomenal. He deserves it. It has been a hard one since he came in but he's the only man in my eyes for the job.

"He has had to win two trophies and yet again he has shown that he knows how to win trophies. He's a fantastic man manager and he's been fantastic since he's came in. He speaks well and every single one in that changing room loves him."