--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a player I won things, had a special…" description: "\"As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under Martin O'Neill [at Leicester and Celtic] and played in some great teams, beating Manchester Unit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg" --- # As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under… ![“As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under Martin O'Neill [at Leicester and Celtic] and played in some great teams, beating Manchester United and getting to the last 16 of the Champions League. As a manager, I don't know if I will top this; I hope I do, because I am still young and am…” quote by Neil Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg) > “As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under Martin O'Neill \[at Leicester and Celtic\] and played in some great teams, beating Manchester United and getting to the last 16 of the Champions League. As a manager, I don't know if I will top this; I hope I do, because I am still young and am still learning. But this is up there with anything I have achieved, not just in my football career but in my life.” [Neil Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youth and learning drive ambition; past achievements inspire but do not limit future goals. **In simple terms:** Youth and learning fuel future ambition. Key Takeaway Stay humble, keep learning. Themes sports career ambition learning humility Mood determined reflective Type Careers:1 Celtic:0 Champion:0 Champions league:0 Football:1 Great team:0 Ifs:0 Knows:0 Lasts:0 League:0 Leicester:0 Managers:0 Manchester:0 Manchester united:0 Player:0 Special:0 Stills:0 Team:0 United:0 Years:0 Young:1 Great Teams:0 Football Career:1 Leicester Celtic:0 16 Champions:0 Celtic Played:0 When to use this quote - coaching - team management Key Concepts personal development goal setting leadership Questions to Reflect On - How does early success affect future motivation? - What role does humility play in leadership? A Different Perspective counterpoint: past success can create pressure ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [16 Champions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/16-champions-2876778/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Celtic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celtic/) [Celtic Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celtic-played-2876779/) [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Champions league](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champions-league/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-career/) [Great team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-team/) [Great Teams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teams/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [League](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/league/) [Leicester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leicester/) [Leicester Celtic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leicester-celtic-2876777/) [Managers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managers/) [Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manchester/) [Manchester united](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manchester-united/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [I have an affinity with the Leicester community and want the best for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-have-an-affinity-with-the-leicester-community-and-want-the-best-for/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) > [Tony Cottee once played in all four divisions in one season. Cottee started 2000-01 at Leicester City, where he made a couple of Premiership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cornwell/tony-cottee-once-played-in-all-four-divisions-in-one-season-cottee/) [Phil Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cornwell/) > [I was lucky enough to have Tony Cottee when I was at Leicester, who was a senior pro at the time and would give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-heskey/i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-tony-cottee-when-i-was-at-leicester-who/) [Emile Heskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-heskey/) > [Once I got to Leicester, I just wanted to prove myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-drinkwater/once-i-got-to-leicester-i-just-wanted-to-prove-myself/) [Danny Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-drinkwater/) > [Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-clough/anybody-who-can-do-anything-in-leicester-but-make-a-jumper-has-got-to/) [Brian Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-clough/) > [In 2015-16, when Leicester won the title, I didnt really believe they were going to do it until the last four or five weeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/in-2015-16-when-leicester-won-the-title-i-didnt-really-believe-they/) [Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/) > [I showed Leicester the love and that city never showed me the love back. That place has shown me nothing but contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-showed-leicester-the-love-and-that-city-never-showed-me-the-love/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) > [Leicester have been unbelievable to me, and I'm really happy there, but I'm also an ambitious player, and everyone wants to play at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-maguire/leicester-have-been-unbelievable-to-me-and-i-m-really-happy-there-but/) [Harry Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-maguire/) > [This is Leicester City. They are a yo-yo club and always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/this-is-leicester-city-they-are-a-yo-yo-club-and-always-have-been/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [The Minister of Transport issued this appeal to motorists: Can anyone give him a lift to Leicester?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/the-minister-of-transport-issued-this-appeal-to-motorists-can-anyone/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I wanted to make a difference at Leicester and it was something I needed, to be more focused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-drinkwater/i-wanted-to-make-a-difference-at-leicester-and-it-was-something-i/) [Danny Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-drinkwater/) > [The Leicester story is great for the game in England. It's great for the appreciation of the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-leicester-story-is-great-for-the-game-in-england-it-s-great-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People are possibly not spelling 'Leicester' correctly everywhere round the globe, but they are at least saying it correctly now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-are-possibly-not-spelling-leicester-correctly-everywhere-round/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Fame is not just about being able to get out of a limo in Leicester Square, it's about trying to get into your house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/fame-is-not-just-about-being-able-to-get-out-of-a-limo-in-leicester/) [Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/) > [When you travel across London, it can take two hours to get from one end of London to the other, when it actually takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hopper/when-you-travel-across-london-it-can-take-two-hours-to-get-from-one/) [Tom Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hopper/) ## More by Neil Lennon > [It's a bit like walking down a long, dark corridor never knowing when the light will go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lennon/it-s-a-bit-like-walking-down-a-long-dark-corridor-never-knowing-when/) [Neil Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lennon/) [Explore all 2 Neil Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lennon/) ## More Careers quotes > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) [Robbin Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbin-crosby/) > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Everything I've been through, everything I'm about to go through in my career and my life, if my family wasn't with me and didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-malone/everything-i-ve-been-through-everything-i-m-about-to-go-through-in-my/) [Karl Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-malone/) > [An image has stuck for most of my career and it isn't flattering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-fowler/an-image-has-stuck-for-most-of-my-career-and-it-isn-t-flattering/) [Robbie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-fowler/) [Browse all 6,154 Careers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under Martin O'Neill [at Leicester and Celtic] and played in some great teams, beating Manchester United and getting to the last 16 of the Champions League. As a manager, I don't know if I will top this; I hope I do, because I am still young and am still learning. But this is up there with anything I have achieved, not just in my football career but in my life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Lennon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lennon/as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-10-years-under-martin-o-neill/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Careers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lennon/as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-10-years-under-martin-o-neill/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/neil-lennon-102165_careers_as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-1_1910804.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a player I won things, had a special 10 years under Martin O'Neill [at Leicester and Celtic] and played…” — Neil Lennon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil Lennon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lennon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a player I won things,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lennon/as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-10-years-under-martin-o-neill/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lennon/as-a-player-i-won-things-had-a-special-10-years-under-martin-o-neill/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```