Ryan Christie has taken Neil Lennon to task over comments made about wantaways in the Celtic dressing room following the defeat to Ferencvaros in The Champions League Qualifiers. The Scotland Internationalist has said that he believes, looking back, that the beginning of Celtic’s struggles last season can be attributed to that defeat and the subsequent comments from Lennon.
Christie left Glasgow for EFL Championship side Bournemouth in a deal worth £4m, with £2.5m upfront for the Scotland Internationalist. However, he has now spoken out about the comments that former gaffer Lennon made.
Speaking to Football Scotland, Christie said that no-one stated that they wanted to leave, even if they had offers that were ‘promising’ but the defeat and subsequent comments shook the dressing room.
“It was tough because, number one, I don’t think anyone had stated they were absolutely desperate to leave at that point. A few people had maybe had offers in like Premier League or elsewhere that was promising for them.
“It was so early in the season where it’s a bit different for Celtic when you have such important games at the start of the season that it means you have to be focused straight away. That’s when the transfer market takes over a little bit at the start of the season.
“Did it have to be said? I’m not so sure. I think everyone was desperate to get a result. Everyone in our squad was firing on all cylinders to try and get through.
“Had we got into the Champions League that season I’m sure that would have steadied some players’ heads about leaving because that’s an attraction itself.
“People probably look back at those comments now and think, ‘That’s where it started going wrong so early’ but we took it as a minor blip. It was frustrating but it was still early and in our minds we were still thinking we’ll go on to have a successful season.”
Celtic had held discussions with the playmaker’s representatives but a decision to sell was made as Christie was free to leave for nothing as early as January. Christie was a mainstay in the Celtic sides that won the Treble Treble and Quadruple Treble and leaves to join the Championship club having scored 41 goals and 45 assists in 151 appearances for Celtic. His final appearance came in the defeat to Rangers, a poor end to what will be regarded as an excellent career in the Hoops.
The problem with Ryan Christie’s comments is Lennon was right! The lackluster performance that night against Ferencvaros was embarrassing! Far too many players were playing like they were out for a stroll.
That game was a single leg tie, at HOME against a team we should have destroyed.
No doubt it’s easy for Christie to blame the one man who carried a deflated team when rodgers walked out at an extremely critical time of the season!
It’s easy to blame Lennon because Christie knows many fans had already turn against him! Easy fall guy!
But ask yourself, if Lennon was wrong, where is Christie today? Where is Big Eddy? What about Ntcham? Ajer anyone? Maybe Frimpong then? Griffiths? Elyounoussi? Oh wait! Bolingoli? El-Hamid?
There are others no longer around because they were loan players. There are those of whom much was expected, inlding Forrest, Johnston, Ajeti, Barkas, all painfully woeful right now!
So don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes! Lennon was right about them, and you were one of them!
If you want to start looking for someone to point fingers at, begin in front of your own mirror!
Couldn’t have worded it any better 👏👏. Chapeau