Neil Lennon believes he’s a tamer manager than he once was, but he still gave Celtic the hairdryer treatment on Sunday.
His side drew 0-0 at Easter Road in a poor encounter against a Hibernian side all out to stop them going to within one game from the title.
A victory in Leith would’ve set up a mouth-watering game at home to Kilmarnock on Saturday. With a packed crowd set to descend on Parkhead, it should’ve been a title-party. But Celtic’s failure to get the three points at Hibs has halted that, as the party is on hold once again.
Lennon evidently wasn’t happy with what he saw on Sunday. And today, he’s revealed in the Daily Record that he let rip his frustrations at the players post-match.
“Listen, I have this reputation as being a hairdryer-type manager. I’m not at all. But there are times when they need to be told and Sunday was one of those days.
“Maybe (the players saw a different side of Lennon). I’m following in great footsteps and maybe it’s not Brendan’s way, the way I approach games.
“This is their title and they have to make the most of it. They can’t just put in inconsistent performances.
Regardless of whether I’m here or not they should be focusing. We just need to win it and stop thinking about when we’re going to win it.”
Any more delays and Lennon should forget it
Saturday just seems like a colossal match not just for Celtic’s season, but for Lennon’s chances of the job.
Of course, nobody at Parkhead has come out and stated that Killie’s visit is the match in which Lennon’s fate will be decided. But surely the Northern Irishman can’t afford any more delays between now and the end of the season.
When he arrived, Celtic were eight points clear at the top of the Premiership. The fact it’s now only nine points is a real body blow for the Northern Irishman. It feels as though he can’t afford to let that gap slip to below what it was when he first arrived.
But Lennon is also correct to have a go at some of our first-team stars from Sunday. Celtic got into more than enough good areas to make something happen at Easter Road. The likes of Jonny Hayes, James Forrest, and Olivier Ntcham all have to hold their hands up and take some responsibility.
Lennon has been praising this Celtic squad left, right, and centre since he came in. So it’s about time he let rip at them for what have been painfully poor performances to endure.
Will we see a reaction on Saturday at home to Kilmarnock? For Lennon’s sake, we better.
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