Neil Lennon

I think Broony can cope quite easily with Hearts; sadly, I think John Clark would struggle.

Broony's not been that bad IMHO. He's clearly a few levels below where he was and Soro is fantastic (like a young Broony, in fact!), but Broony's been fine. I think we'll see him against Hearts and I think he'll have a good game.

 

Thank you for expressing clearly what I couldn't.

 

Hunger
Passion
Big Sellick man

This horseshit is the * reason we are where we are, not the pandemic. Archaic

 

I am not so sure, but I hope that you are right if he does start.

 

Just spouts the same stuff as Roy Keane when he's in the Sky Sports studio.

In their mind tactics and coaching don't count for much. If you want it more than the other team, that's all that matters. As you said, archaic.

 

You’d have to be * insane to start inferior players in a cup final.

Sentimental birthday caird pish is holding this club back. We’ve near enough lost the 10 because of this stupid *.

When are we going to learn the lesson?

 

* knows who you’ve been watching this season then.

 

Just seen the quotes re bringing the experienced players back in.

I thought there was no room for sentiment in football? On Scott Brown, I've said numerous times that I still think he can be a valuable player for us. Maybe Lennon told him he'd be sitting out the last two but to be ready for the Cup Final. The problem is, when Soro has come in and played so well after a period where Brown has looked very poor, how can you justify that decision with anything other than sentiment or the notion of loyalty? We need to win this game. Winning the trophy matters more than who leads the side out.

With Turnbull coming in and making such a big impact, how can we drop him now? Also, why start Hazard for the last two games if we're just going to throw Barkas back in. Would it not have been better for Barkas' confidence to play in the last two victories?

Maybe he's just making these comments to throw |Hearts off the scent re the team selection.

 

Celtic manager Neil Lennon insists nothing means more to him than securing the fabled 10 In A Row as he launched a robust defence of his record.

The Irishman has come under fire in recent weeks after a miserable run of results saw his side crash out of the Europa League, while Rangers opened up a 13 point lead at the top of the Premiership

Celtic still have two games in hand though and Lennon is convinced he and his players can turn it around although he did make one pandemic admission that "other clubs have maybe dealt with that a little bit better."


Speaking at the club's AGM he took questions from shareholders, beginning with his thoughts on the upcoming Scottish Cup final.


It's unprecedented to be talking about trying to win a fourth treble in consecutive seasons is monumental and I think it'll mean so much to the players


"From my own personal point of view it would mean a * of a lot because we put a lot of work into it last season even though it's now overlapping into this season.

"Since 2000 we've won four trebles, it's incredible, and this could be the fifth.

"I don't think we'll ever see the likes of it again.

"So it's one to look forward to, I think the players are very much motivated for and hopefully we can come away with another really important piece of silverware to bring home for the club and the supporters."


I think from our point of view we've missed the fans as much as any other club in Europe.

"The players have really found it difficult, empty stadiums is not normal and I think it's affects them subconsciously at times.


We don't have that rawness in the atmosphere, that electricity.

"It's been really difficult for them to adapt to the empty stadium and we know that most times it's full whether we're home or away.

"It's been difficult circumstances for everyone, not just in sport, but hopefully we're seeing the turning of the corner with this and we'll get the supporters back in soon


How committed are you to turning the situation around?

"It means everything to me.

"My own personal pride, the reputation of the club, the reputation of the players.

"It's been difficult but you're starting to see signs of things really improving.

"There have been situations where we've lost players to Covid, there's been anxiety with the players I think.

"There's been no respite for them this season in terms of the pressure being on in every game and I think they've felt that where some of them have probably been trying too hard and they're over-thinking their play a little bit.


Sometimes there's just an overall fatigue where they look leggy and that just comes from the mental pressure they're feeling rather than anything physical.

"We look at the physical data, it's pretty similar to where we were last year in terms of performances they're probably just a little bit antsy in the final third.

"Once we get over that we'll be absolutely fine."


How will you draw on your own experience to handle a time like this?



"I've been saying to the players that I've been in this situation before as a manager. The Lille game was the ninth anniversary of us playing against Hearts when Fraser Forster saved a penalty and we could have been 10 or 11 points behind our rivals at that stage of the season.

"We turned it around that season, so there's evidence that we can do it and the players need to buy into that and understand that.

"I think that's a huge motivation for them going forward.

"We can't affect other results, what we need to do is find that little bit of swagger that we had because it's been apparent we haven't had that from last year where we were rampant.

"We need to pick that up, have a little bit of belief in ourselves and chase it down.

"I think that's very, very exciting for the club and the group of players and it would be an amazing achievement if we could do that.

"But we can't worry about what other teams are doing we have to chip away and chip away, keep the Ws in the results bracket every week.


What makes you think you're the right man to carry Celtic forward?

I believe, and I've proven I can do it.

"Out of the nine (league titles) I've contributed to five of them and no-one wants it more than myself.

"I can't project that sort of desperation to the players, it has to be calm and be consistent. You have to do it bit-by-bit.

"You can't look too far ahead and we have to play in the present but my record speaks for itself when it comes to winning championships whether it be as a player or a manger.

"I've won 10 in my time here as a player and manager and there are not many who've done that before. I firmly believe with the backroom staff and our training protocols and policies it's a winning way and we'll find that way."



You've been a Celtic fan all your life, how important is it for you to be part of the success?

You're right, I have been a Celtic all my life. And I'll be a Celtic fan for the rest of my life.

"This means more to me than any other thing apart from my family.

"I've been a part of the club here, on and off, for 20 years.

"I haven't done it all myself, I've played with good players and worked with good managers, I've worked with great coaches and I've had great players underneath me.

"It's been a concerted effort and I've also got a great CEO in Peter Lawwell who's brought mighty success to the club.

"We want me, we're hungry, we just need to transmit that on to the pitch and bring that to the supporters.

"I think the fans see that every now and again we're going to have a little struggle and it's important we get their support through thick and thin.

"I've no doubt or belief we'll come out of this stronger than ever."

What have been the factors behind the recent poor run?

This is all new, I've never managed through a pandemic before and the players haven't played through one.

"It's been bit-by-bit. I don't think we've had a lot of luck, things have gone against us whether it be Covid, players missing, restrictions on their life away from the training ground that they find difficult.

"Other clubs have maybe dealt with that a little bit better but we're talking about eight weeks where it's not been great but the results haven't always merited the performances.


We were outstanding, I felt, in the San Siro. I thought against Sparta Prague for 35 minutes away from home we were in total control. We just didn't get the goal we deserved.

"So there have been fine lines we haven't crossed, hopefully with the Lille result that's a turning point.


It was a really good result on the back of a really good performance, a lot of zest and energy, a lot of will to win and desire.

"That's what we want from the players and hopefully that will give them the little ignition, the little spark, to go on the winning run we know they're capable of."

 

Lots of pish in there, but I see an admission of pride being the reason why he didn't resign. As expected. Regarding players being fatigued...well, there is a thing called rotation!! When Soro was available (before his COVID-induced absence), he could've helped Brown stay fresher.

 

Doesn't sound very much like he's * off after the cup final now...

 

Definitely been watching Celtic mate, just one of these pesky * that dares to have a different opinion to the noisy majority.

I've stated many times before that I wanted a permanent change in the middle, been wanting Turnbull starting since he arrived, and don't like the way Lennon plays Brown most games, would prefer he was used more sparingly. He doesn't provide enough going forward, which is where someone like Turnbull comes in. However, he has been nowhere near as bad as what a lot of folk make out and would have no problem seeing him start against Hearts, as long as it's not with Ntcham.

 

He's let us down on plenty big occasions as captain, our cup record under him as captain before Brendan arrived was shocking, he over seen defeats to Ross County twice, Aberdeen, St Mirren, Inverness, Oldco, Hearts, Morton, Newco, Kilmarnock (there was even a home draw with Arbroath under him as captain amongst this but we won the second leg of that), all these cup exits prevented us from winning a single Treble before Brendan became manager. Even on some occasions where we won a cup, can you honestly say it was his leadership that won us the league cup last season for example? That was a shocking cup final performance which would have been one of the biggest humiliations in our history if it wasn't for Forster.

Then there's the number of failed CL/EL Qualification campaigns to absolute diddy opposition in comparison to ourselves financially & as a squad under him as captain, Braga, Utrecht, Sion (before Sion got kicked), Malmo, AEK Athens, Cluj, Ferencvaros, we also haven't progressed past a single round in Europe post Christmas under him as captain either, even after getting favorable results in the first legs of Zenit & Copenhagen before a capitulation followed in the second legs, the last captain to achieve progression for us in a round in Europe after Christmas was Paul Lambert in 2004.

The Inverness capitulation to win the league in Lenny's first spell, the failure to win the league at Ibrox, his performances in the vast majority of these games were shocking, then there's this season which we don't even need to discuss.

There's been plenty big occasions where he's let us down as player & captain, it's nothing but a myth to suggest otherwise. His time has come & gone, he'll still be the man to lift the Quadruple Treble but the players who deliver it on the park should be the players who have got us back to winning ways in the last two fixtures.

 

Not at all, we’re all allowed to have different opinions it’s what makes us human. Ours just differ on this subject

 

If we owe Scott Brown gratitude, then bring him in after the 80th minute for a round of applause when or if the game is done. You don't risk a cup final just to be nice.

It appears that anything Lennon eventually gets right is by accident. Playing Hazard, Turnbull, Soro and Klimala worked. Lennon not just refuses to learn from his mistakes, but also from his victories.

 

10 Championships, 9 in a, row.
5 Scottish Cups hopefully 6 on Sunday.
6 League Cups.
Quadruple Treble on the way hopefully.

Aye he's been a hindrance..

Europe has been a disappointment in lots of ways tbf to you and side built around him was always going to have limited European success imo..

I've been a harsh critic of Broonie but he's not responsible for every defeat you've listed ffs

And if Lenny decides he deserves a place on Sun, there's no reasonable argument against it.

He will deserve his place.

 

So why did you say he rarely let's us down when he has?

 

See above.

 

Whatever mate he shouldn't be starting the cup final & it's an unnecessary advantage to Hearts if he does

 

If Brown is not part of the best 11 players at our disposal to win the match I fail to see how he deserves to start.