体坛英语新闻：Lennon takes over as interim Celtic manager

LONDON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Scottish Premier League giants Celtic announced on Tuesday that former club manager Neil Lennon has been named their interim manager until the end of the season.

Lennon, who played for Celtic for seven years and managed the Glasgow club from 2010-2014, will replace Brendan Rodgers, who has moved to English Premier League side Leicester City.

The 47-year-old will be joined by John Kennedy as assistant manager and Damien Duff as first team coach.

The club said that Lennon will take up his role "immediately" and will be in charge of the team for the trip to Tynecastle on Wednesday against Heart of Midlothian.

Lennon joined Celtic in December 2000 and went on to make a total of 304 appearances for the club, scoring three goals and establishing himself as a Celtic legend.

He won five league titles, four Scottish Cups and two League Cups, and was part of the treble-winning side of 2000/01. He was an integral part of the squad that reached the UEFA Cup final in 2003, and he took over the captain's armband in 2005.

After finishing his playing career following spells with Nottingham Forest and Wycombe Wanderers, Lennon returned to Celtic, initially as part of the first-team coaching staff and then taking charge of the reserves.

In March 2010, Neil stepped in as caretaker manager before he was confirmed in the role at the end of that season. Over the next four years he won three league titles - the first three in the current seven-in-a-row run - as well as two Scottish Cups.