Former Celtic manager makes Steven Gerrard Rangers return claim as Aberdeen title chances belittled

The Dons have kept pace with leaders Celtic across the opening 11 matches of the season, matching their 31-point tally to sit in second place behind the defending champions on goal difference. Not only that, Aberdeen are also nine points ahead of third-placed Rangers, having inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Philippe Clement's side at Pittodrie two weeks ago after coming from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw at Celtic Park to remain unbeaten in the league.

The remarkable form under Thelin - whose only defeat since taking charge in the summer was a 6-0 hammering by a rampant Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final - has brought back reminders of the 1980s glory days in the Granite City when Aberdeen won three titles under Alex Ferguson.

However, according to one former Celtic manager, there is little hope of the Dons replicating that success this season due to the strength of Brendan Rodgers' side. Neil Lennon - who was among the bookies favourites for the Pittodrie vacancy last season before the appointment of Thelin - is full of praise for the work done by the Swedish head coach. However, the Northern Irishman called himself a "realist" in giving the Dons just a five per cent chance of winning the league as he backed his former club to make it four consecutive championships.

“I just make Celtic so strong," Lennon said. "They’re playing brilliantly at the minute and they have a real strength in depth which they haven’t had for a long time. Brendan Rodgers can rotate the team and keep his players fresh for all the tournaments they’re competing in including the League Cup and Champions League. I think it would be a miracle if Aberdeen were to overcome Celtic to win the title. I would give Aberdeen a five per cent chance of winning it and that’s being generous.”

Lennon is keen to return to managing in the UK after his second spell in charge at Celtic was followed by stints abroad as head coach of Cypriot side Omonia and Romanian outfit Rapid Bucharest. The 53-year-old, who is currently working punditry, says he is "actively looking" for his next job in football adding: "I'd like to get back in so I'm just waiting on the next opportunity. 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.

"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.”

Lennon also claimed that one of his former Rangers rivals could make a return to the Ibrox hotseat. Gerrard is currently managing Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia but has been linked with a return to Govan following the recent clamour for Clement to be sacked. The former Liverpool captain won the title with Rangers by a 25-point margin in 2020-21 before departing for Aston Villa the following season as the failure to bring a 10th consecutive title to Parkhead resulted in Lennon being sacked.

Speaking to OLBG, Lennon said: "Steven Gerrard back to Rangers? Never say never. Gerrard is still well thought of by Rangers fans and although he’s trying to make his way in Saudi at the moment I think you can never rule it out. I ended up going back to Celtic and it was fantastic for me, he might want to do the same at Rangers.”