'Honeymoon period over' for Lennon as he looks to build Dunfermline squad for new season

Dunfermline boss Neil Lennon insists his “honeymoon period” at East End Park is over as he prepares for next season and aims to give Derek McInnes a “bloody nose” in the League Cup.

The former Celtic manager took the reins at the Pars last season and helped keep them in the Championship before being handed the job on a permanent basis.

He is now ready for the “real work” to begin as he begins to build a squad for the upcoming campaign and revealed the big part the club’s owner, James Bord, played in his decision to take on the task.

He said: “I had a taste of it towards the end of last season, and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed being back in Scottish football.

“I have also been really impressed by the owner; he is the main reason I have taken this on. I enjoyed working with the players and the staff here have been exceptionally good with me.

“But, that’s the honeymoon period over now, and the real work now sort of begins. I felt a large bit of loyalty towards James Bord as well.

“One, for talking me into coming here, and then the opportunity to take the club on, so I owe a lot to him for this.

“What we want to do is build a team and build a squad because we’ve let a lot of players go in the summer.

“Obviously, we weren’t happy with our league position and 28 goals in 36 games speaks for itself, so we want to bring a brand of football and excitement to the club to be competitive in this division, which you have to be.

“Then we will try to find those nuggets of quality that can make the difference in games.”

The Pars will get their campaign under way against Hearts at Tynecastle in the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup at the start of July.

Lennon, who managed across the other side of Edinburgh when he was Hibs boss, will come up against McInnes in his first game in the home dugout.

And while the former Kilmarnock and Aberdeen boss is someone the Dunfermline manager rates highly, he hopes to give him the worst possible start in his new job.

Lennon said: “It’s a great game to come back to, albeit very early, but it will be a great challenge for us. I’m delighted for Derek (to get the Hearts job), because I have been a big fan of his for a long time, and he has got himself back at a really big city club, so it will be exciting times for Hearts as well.

“But we want to go there and give him a bloody nose if we can.”