‘It’ll be a bit surreal,’ admits Lenny, ‘I’m prepared for it’

NEIL LENNON being Neil Lennon was always going to be visiting places like Tynecastle and Easter Road if he came home to Celtic. You could have thrown Ibrox into the mix as another hostile venue, so to start away to Hearts and then head across Edinburgh to play Hibs is quite appropriate for the unrepentant Celtic manager.

Lenny of course had a spell as Hibs boss and put down a series of demands that his players weren’t prepared to achieve. That led to collision, conflict and a parting of the ways.

Don’t forget though that such were the demands of the then Hibs boss that they took 3 points of Celtic in December and followed that up by taking 4 from the Zoms with two draws, home and away. That has hurt Slippy G and has helped Lenny enormously as he protects the 8 point advantage Rodgers left – half of it came from Lenny himself.

After that dramatic, much needed, morale lifting win At Tynecastle, the real Celtic manager was keen to take the focus off himself.

“Like I said earlier this week, it’s not about me,” Lenny said. There’s just nothing fake about him, no fake teeth, no fake tan never a fake Celtic supporter. Lenny walks the walk.

“I’m working for the players and with the players. There might be a few sub-plots regarding me going back, but it’s not the major issue here for me.

“The major issue is for me to help negotiate a very difficult cup-tie for us and get to the semi-final.

“It’s another cup game and the players have handled the cup games fantastically well over the past couple of years, so tomorrow’s no different. We know, and I know personally, how good Hibs are.

“We know we have to perform and perform at a really high level if we want to win away from home because it will also be a big game for Hibs and their players.

“It’ll be a bit surreal going back so early but I’m ready for it, I’m prepared for it and I’m very familiar, as you can be, with Celtic. There are a lot of familiar faces around the club and I know the backdrop of what’s required.

“Paul Heckingbottom’s come in and won three out of three, the players are playing well so we’re going to come against a very confident team tomorrow.

“I haven’t changed anything, and that’s where John, Damien and Stevie Woods, as well as the rest of the backroom staff, are very important to me,” Lenny said.

“We just want to keep the players happy. It was a great result on Wednesday, and there was a lot of emotion after that, so we have to balance that and make sure they’ve come down again and are ready for another electric atmosphere and tough game.

“What is my stamp? I like to win games and I like them to play good football, and that’s what Brendan’s been doing here for two-and-a-half years, so I don’t think my approach will be a lot different to Brendan’s, really.”

Celtic will go with the same squad as midweek with Lenny confirming that both Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie are out until the end of the month, when we will also have Tom Rogic back – all three just in time to face the Zoms.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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