Neil Lennon **The Official Thread**

What looks like a lack of effort is actually the inconsistency you expect with such a young squad. I agree that Lennon doesn't know how to change it up when the performances are like that, but he's early in his career and he'll have time to figure it out, not being under any particular pressure for the forseeable future.

 

What a load of *.

Reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, beating teams like Barcelona and Spartak Moscow along the way. Having a very good outing in the Europa League last year (only unluckily missing out on qualifying from the group), beating Rennes and drawing both matches against Udinese. One Title (soon to be two) and one Scottish Cup so far.

But aye, it's a team full of "big game bottlers"

 

Gotta laugh at the way the press just continued to dig away by trying to get a response from Lenny regarding the decision for Sevco got. Reporter started to ask another question on it and he just cut them off saying "Next question" :smiley-laughing002:

Kept his cool and didn't bite

 

Lennon should just tell it as it is though.

"Rangers were cheats, we all know that and justice must be done."

If he said that he would have fair set the cat amongst the pigeons.

 

No point in Lenny adding fuel to a fire that will smoulder for a few seasons, sad fact is trophies were bought and paid for by financial cheating, therefore TAINTED, as even they must know.:bbpd:

 

I don't think Lenny should leave if we don't win the SC. I think he needs it though and I'll probably celebrate more if we win that than the league which was won before a ball was kicked.

 

I posted this in another thread.................

When a team is a mile clear at the top of the league, or is vastly superior to the opposition they are facing, they are not going to produce their best football all the time. They are not going to give it 100% all the time either. Why is this? Because they don't have to. I know that fans don't want to hear or believe that but it's the truth. It is human nature to take your foot off the pedal when you don't feel threatened and you know you can win without having to produce your best.

That's not something that is unique to Celtic, it is true of pretty much any team.

I keep seeing people on this forum saying 'The players should be giving it 100% every time they set foot on the pitch'. It's a nice idea in theory but it is also a utopian view and it will rarely happen. Many of the players at Celtic are not Celtic fans and don't feel the same level of commitment to the club that we do. If you cut them they won't bleed green & white. Consumate professionals who give 100% every single time they step onto the field are few and far between. Footballers are human beings just like the rest of us. Some days they go to their work and they put in a shift. Some days they just do enough and muddle through.

 

He was given far more money to spend than any other Celtic manager in history; fact.

We never got to the last 16 of the CL under him though, and Lennon has spent a small fraction of what MON spent in his five years here.

 

In fairness Markybhoy, when they are getting paid sums of money in a week that most of us can only dream of, I don't think its much to ask that they justify it by actually giving their all every time they play. Its not like what they do is an actual "job".

You are right though, at the end of the day they are human and will have good days and bad days. Most of us accept this, we know we can't win or play excellently in every game we play. But I don't think it's unfair to demand hard work and application at all times.

 

No he wasnt Strachan spent the most money out of all Celtic managers even though he spent 1 year less than O'Neill, Strachan also had the highest wagebills out of all Celtic managers.

Its a common misconception.

 

I totally understand that fans have that attitude. The man in the stands is working his * off Monday to Friday for a couple of hundred quid a week while a footballer works a few hours a week and gets paid thousands of pounds for doing it.

I very much doubt footballers look at it that way though. To a Celtic fan, getting the chance to wear the Hoops and getting paid for it is about the biggest honour you could have. To a guy like Efe Ambrose or Emilio Izaguirre it is just their job. And like most people in this world, some days they'll knock their pan in at their job and some days, if they don't have to, they won't.

Fans and players just don't view it the same way.

 

Do you have a source to prove this mate? very intrested in such claims.

 

Strachan's signings got us further in Europe than O'Neill's did.

They also won 3IAR.

 

O'Neill spent £31.2million (£6.24 per year)
Strachan spent £33.5million (£8.38 per year)

O'Neill
00-01 £20million
01-02 £8million
02-03 £2.9million
03-04 £300k
04-05 £0

Strachan
05-06 £6.7million
06-07 £8.8million
07-08 £9.5million
08-09 £8.5million

O'Neill Wages
00-01 £26million
01-02 £33million
02-03 £33million
03-04 £41million
04-05 £37million
Average = £33.8million

Strachan Wages
05-06 £32million
06-07 £36million
07-08 £39million
08-09 £39million
Average = £36.5million

 

O'Neill's team got Scottsh teams automatic qualification and higher seedings though. Making it easier to get in and also easier to get through.

O'Neills team were in Groups with Juventus and Porto, Bayern and Lyon and Barcelona and AC Milan.

Strachan's were Man Utd and Benfica, AC Milan and Benfica and Man Utd and Villarreal. Weaker 2nd best teams on each occasion.

Porto won the UEFA Cup the following season and the CL the season after that.
Lyon got to the Last 8 of the CL in the season we got them and the two following seasons.
AC Milan got to the final that season and went 3-0 up and they were the 2nd best team in our Group.

 

Let's not turn the thread into a Strachan v O'Neill thread please guys

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLBSA_Pykgs"]Celtic FC - 2013-03-01 Manager Neil Lennon speaks to the media - YouTube[/ame]

Don't know if it was posted or not.

 

In a wee way I'm sure Lennon would love to say how it is himself, but I'm actually happier that he doesn't. The press are only after a reaction. They're only wanting Lennon to go on a "rant" and as soon as that happens then the story move's from what has happened to Dead Hun FC over to what Lennon has "ranted" about regarding the filth. In a way I think Lennon sees that himself and that is why he doesn't bite when the press go fishing.

Shows he's got more dignity as well by not lowering himself to what the press are after.

 

Well in Neily. Good to see him making his feelings on the cheating scum known. You can tell he's not a happy bunny, just like the rest of us.

It will be interesting to see if he does in fact make any further comment on that subject in the future.

 

Well said Neil Lennon:

That interview will have been seen all round Europe and beyond......

Now it is clear to everyone how Glasgow Celtic' rivals hid over £47 million in
players wages from the UK taxman and the football authorities !

I can't wait for the book 'Lenny, my life at Celtic' (McCoist whispered what!?)