Lennon and Celtic no longer a perfect fit for each other

Celtic’s business model is to sign players from under-utilised markets, or whose potential has still to be realised, and develop them so that they can be sold at a profit. There is no dubiety to this, since players are attracted to the club by the promise that it will provide a stage on which to parade their talents.

The manager, though, will always see his primary role as team-building. Lennon wants to construct something lasting, and there are attractions in England when a club like Norwich can utilise a £25m transfer budget.

Lennon was the first choice of the Carrow Road chief executive David McNally to replace Chris Hughton. Other members of the board, though, were more keen on Malky Mackay.

Lennon’s departure stirs intrigue. It is believed that Mackay had been offered the Norwich job, yet Neil Adams was appointed on a three-year deal. Mackay will also feature prominently in Celtic’s thoughts, and at West Bromwich Albion, who are seeking to replace Pepe Mel.

There are other opportunities, and Lennon’s name is believed to be in the mix at Brighton. Moving to the Championship is a downgrade when there are Champions League opportunities at Celtic, but the club have three qualifying rounds to negotiate this summer.

If major players leave in the meantime, Lennon will have calculated that the risk of failure was too great.

His standing in England is based on steering Celtic twice to the group stages of the competition. That reputation will be enhanced if his replacement fails.

There is also lingering appreciation of the night his Celtic team overcame Barcelona in Glasgow, but his three consecutive titles are generally discounted since the view in England is that an Old Firm manager who wins the league is merely meeting basic expectations.

Even so, Lennon was believed to have been considered, and then overlooked, by West Bromwich Albion last summer. Members of the club’s hierarchy recognise they made a mistake in appointing Mel and are now considering looking for a younger, bullish coach who will shake the club out of its slumber.

Lennon will have reasoned that opportunities will arise in the coming months. Celtic too, though, have not been caught unawares. Consideration has been given to several candidates, including Mackay, Henrik Larsson and Owen Coyle. The latter was well thought of last summer, when some at the club believed that Lennon might depart then.