Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has dismissed Aberdeen’s chances of winning the Scottish Premiership title – insisting it would be a miracle if the Dons clinched the championship.
Jimmy Thelin’s side have matched champions Celtic’s start to the season, with the two sides nine points clear of Rangers at the top of the table after starting the campaign with 10 wins and 1 draw.
Lennon has been impressed by Aberdeen’s impressive start, but rates the Dons’ title hopes as being less than five per cent.
Speaking to OLBG, Lennon said: “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.
“I just make Celtic so strong. 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.”
‘Celtic will be too strong’
Lennon knows a Dons title win, coming 40 years after Aberdeen were the last Scottish team other than Celtic or Rangers to win the top-flight title, would be a terrific story in Scottish football.
But, even after highlighting some of the key performers for Thelin’s Dons side this season, the former Hoops boss believes an Aberdeen title win is a fanciful notion.
Lennon said: “Jamie McGrath is a player I’ve always admired. He’s had a good career in Scotland.
“Jimmy Thelin is getting the best of him, as well as Graeme Shinnie, who has been a long-standing consistent performer and a really good captain there.
“The goalkeeper who they brought in from St. Johnstone, Dimitar Mitov, has given them that bit of stability.
“Topi Keskinen has done excellently on the wing and let’s not forget that they lost their talisman in Bojan Miovski who went to Girona for a lot of money.
“That was a big loss of a big game player. But they have kicked on and it’s a fantastic story.
“But being a realist, Celtic will be too strong over the course of the season.”
Lennon’s praise for Dons boss Thelin
Lennon may have dismissed the Dons’ title hopes, but the former Hoops boss, who also managed Hibernian, believes Aberdeen boss Thelin deserves huge credit for transforming the team.
Lennon said: “Aberdeen have been brilliant and all credit has to go to the new coach in Jimmy Thelin.
“Their consistency in the league has been remarkable and even after the setback in the cup they bounced back to win in the league against Dundee.
“Their consistency in the league has been really strong and it’ll be interesting for the neutrals to follow how long they can keep it up for.”
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