Neil Lennon declared “Celtic comes first” after answering the call following Brendan Rodgers’ sudden departure.
Lennon will take over immediately as Celtic travel to face Hearts on Wednesday, 24 hours after Rodgers left to take charge at Leicester.
Lennon – who has been installed until the end of the season – told Celtic TV: “It’s difficult circumstances obviously, there is a chasm to fill with Brendan leaving, who has done a remarkable job. But I’m here for the club.
“The club comes first, and obviously the players, and I want to bring as much success here in my time as I possibly can.”
Lennon said: “Tough games but this is the business end of the season and looking at the mentality of the players, they look really focused.
“Whether this disrupts them a little bit, I have got to manage that for them, and make sure they stay fully focused.
“It’s not about me coming back, it’s not about Brendan leaving, it’s about Celtic winning the league and hopefully winning another cup as well.”
“The players have been absolutely exceptional over the last two-and-a-half, three years and all I want to do is carry that on,” he said.
“It’s not broken, so I’m not coming in to revolutionise anything.
“I’m going to lean on John Kennedy a lot, he knows how it works, he knows the system, the routine and I’ll be tapping into that a lot.
“I don’t want this disrupting the flow. The players know what’s at stake, eyes on the prize, and I’m just here to help them along with that.”
