WHEN Martin O’Neill delivered a treble to Celtic in his first season in charge it would prove to be just a highlight rather than the pinnacle of his managerial career.

Further honours and achievements followed: two more league titles and Scottish Cups and a place in the UEFA Cup final at Celtic, and then spells with Aston Villa, Sunderland, the Republic of Ireland national team (including leading them to Euro 2016) and latterly Nottingham Forest.

Little wonder, then, that Neil Lennon surveys the landscape ahead of him and believes he has plenty more to offer, too. At 48 years old, the Celtic manager is the same age now that O’Neill was when he took on the same job back in the summer of 2000.

The possibility of completing his first domestic treble as a manager lies tantalisingly ahead of him whenever the Scottish Cup resumes, a feat that would add to his status having become in December one of only four men to have collected every Scottish honour both as a player and then in the dug-out.

Beyond that, then it is really down to Lennon how long he chooses to stay at Celtic Park in his second spell. Or whether, like O’Neill, the time will come for him to strike out and try his luck once more in England. Regardless, his enthusiasm ahead of the resumption of another campaign is clear to see.

“I’m hoping the best years of management are in front of me,” said Lennon. “I’ve had 10 years so far. I came into management very early on and it’s amazing to think it’s 20 years since Martin came.

“If I could have similar successes to Martin I’d be absolutely delighted. The impact he had on Celtic - it’s still felt there now 20 years on.

“I had five years with him at Leicester too where he was fantastic for me and the club and he did the exact same things when he came to Celtic.

“If in this second period I can have a similar impact on the club and the game here I’d be absolutely thrilled.”

Lennon hasn’t done too badly himself so far. The league title lifted following last season’s abbreviated campaign was his 20th major honour with the club as both player and manager.

It is often difficult to bestow greatness on a figure while they are still active in their field but already it is fair to say the Northern Irishman is due a seat one day in the Celtic pantheon of greats.

He is naturally bashful about comparisons with the likes of O’Neill, Willie Maley or Jock Stein and believes he needs to make more of an impact in European competition to be worthy of that accolade.

“It depends on how people view it,” he added. “To be mentioned in the same breath as those guys would be fantastic.

“I think Europe as well with what Stein and Martin did, that’s the port of call for me. Can I progress Celtic in Europe as well as being strong domestically?

“That’s what we always look to at the start of every season. Can we make inroads? Because that’s really where the gravitas comes on top of the domestic stuff.

“I’ve got a long way to go in my own mind to be up there with the likes of Stein and O’Neill but I’ve got plenty of time hopefully and good days ahead of me to look forward to that I can achieve that.”

Being the manager who delivers a record-breaking tenth successive championship would certainly help burnish Lennon’s legacy.

“I want more,” he added. “I’m going for my sixth title as a manager, it would be the tenth in a row for the club. We’re not thinking about ten, we’re just thinking about winning the championship.

“There will be a lot of challenges we’ll have to overcome. We’ve won our 11th domestic trophy in a row which is an absolutely incredible statistic at any club.

“It shows remarkable consistency from the players. The motivation is there to continue that run as long as we can. Then in 15 or 20 years we’ll be talking about these great players in the club’s tapestry.”