Former Ireland managerial candidate outlines retirement plans as he looks for ‘last’ job

Former Ireland managerial candidate Neil Lennon says he is looking for a fresh opportunity in management – and admits it could be his “last” role before retirement.

Lennon was favourite at one stage to replace Stephen Kenny after meeting with an FAI delegation in late-January, but he was told two weeks later that he was out of the running for the role.

The former Celtic boss then landed the top job at Romanian side Rapid Bucharest, however his time there ended just three months into a two-year deal.

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Lennon is now on the hunt for another job and is eager to work again in the UK – but he is already planning on retiring in the next few years.

“I’d like to get back in so I’m just waiting on the next opportunity,” he told OLBG. “It may be my last though, I’ve done it for about 15 years now. I’d like to maybe do a coaching role for another three four years and then you’ll take stock of things.

“I’m actively looking at the minute. There have been opportunities already since I came back from Bucharest, but nothing that’s really caught my eye.

“Having said that, I’m really enjoying the media work and I’m really grateful for that, but the coaching is in you. I’ve been doing that for a long time and I’m only 53 so I’m still quite young.

“I would like another three or four years if I could at a decent level. But it’s such a competitive market.

“There’s so many good coaches out there and so many agents out there vying for positions. If an opportunity comes along that I like, then I would like to go back in again.

“Ideally I’d like to stay in the UK, I’ve got family here and I’ve got my family in Ireland. We suffered a loss this year, a big loss in the family. So I wouldn’t want to go too far, but you just never know where football will take you.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time abroad and it does make you a better coach when you’re coming up against different styles of football as well as different mentalities and different cultures.

“I had a great time in Scotland with Celtic and Hibs so ideally I would like to stay in the UK, but you know if that’s not the case then I’d be happy to go abroad again.”

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