Neil Lennon expressed his hope that Thursday night's remarkable title win at Tannadice will convince Gordon Strachan to stay for phase four of his stewardship of Celtic.

The manager's position has come under scrutiny at various stages of an unpredictable Clydesdale Bank Premier League title-winning season.

Strachan added further intrigue with a short, sharp statement directly after the 1-0 victory against Dundee United completed a third successive league trophy. It was a response to months of criticism and clamour for his removal from fans and some members of the media.

Now Strachan has joined Parkhead's pantheon of managers and, should he stay, will be rewarded with another sizeable summer transfer budget and the comfort of direct qualification to next season's Champions League group stages.

Lennon, his first-team coach, considers that ample incentive to remain, despite the lingering suspicion that an emotionally drained Strachan will depart on a remarkable high. "He is happy here and has so much to look forward to," said Lennon. "He is already talking about building for next season. We have already reached the group stages of the Champions League and have achieved something nobody expected, apart from ourselves, so why would he want to leave?

"As far as I'm aware, he will stay and I would be bitterly disappointed if he was to leave," added the Northern Irishman.

Strachan summoned Lennon, the former captain, from Nottingham Forest when Tommy Burns' health deteriorated midway through the season. The former captain's return coincided with an upturn in results and performances and was immediately decreed to have revived a disparate dressing room.

He underplayed his contribution to the points overhaul in favour of lauding Strachan's determination.

"My contribution has been minimal, things were already set in place," said Lennon.

"I would much prefer Tommy being here, but we have become pretty close through difficult circumstances.

"I like him Strachan and it is the same as it was with Martin O'Neill. You like them as men first then you get to like them as managers.

"It helps when they like the job and he has done an unbelievable job. This club means a lot to me. There is no place for losing at this club and while it was difficult, I always had my eye on the big one," he added.

Lennon took time to offer gracious commiserations to Rangers and, in particular, the manager with whom he was united in grief at Burns' funeral service.

"I have a certain sympathy because we have been in the position before," he said referring to the last-day defeats of 2003 and 2005.

"I got to meet them as people this week. I spent 40 minutes with Walter Smith at dinner the other day, just talking about football, and it was priceless.

"I knew Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall from before but I have just been impressed with Walter Smith all season.

"He looked at his squad and decided to play a certain way and stuck to it despite the criticism. He has said himself that there was maybe a lack of creativity, but he realised that was the way it had to be. That's not me being patronising.

"It has been a difficult and strange week with the UEFA Cup final, Tommy passing and then last night," said Lennon. "We will not have a week like that again for a long time and I think we are all just emotionally drained."