Celtic hero calls Martin O'Neill the 'greatest' Irish coach

Currently in his third stint in charge, O'Neill has already guided the club to an unlikely Scottish Premiership win, with a potential double on the cards this weekend.

🏁 @officialdafc manager Neil Lennon speaks on his long-standing bond with Martin O'Neill and the role he played in Celtic's title-winning campaign

"He has been the biggest influence in my career... there's a touch of genius about him" 🗣️#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/DCcm8kO6C2

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 22, 2026

To complete such a feat, however, he must defeat ex-Celtic captain and manager Lennon, who is in charge of Dunfermline. Despite this, the fellow Irishman had nothing but good things to say about his ex-manager.

“When you win the amount of games they do in injury time or extra time, it’s not luck. It’s just sheer will and quality at the end of it. And he drives all that in the background," Lennon told Premier Sports

“So it’s no surprise to me that he has won the league this year. He’s funny, he’s sarcastic, he’s witty, he’s super intelligent, he’s great company. And he can make you feel that big at times.

“So there’s a touch of the genius about him, no question. And I think he’s the greatest Irish manager there’s been. And certainly one of the best British managers in the last 30-40 years.”