Neil Lennon is desperate for the Scottish Cup to resume so that his Celtic side can attempt to rescue what has been a desperately disappointing season by retaining the club’s favourite old trophy for a fifth successive season.
This week the Scottish FA pushed back the tournament even further when they announced a further suspension of all football in Scotland outside the Premiership and Championship and this includes the Scottish Cup ties fourth round ties scheduled for February.
Celtic await a home tie agains the winners of the second round tie between Arbroath and Falkirk but this game will not be played for a least another month.
“There is nothing we can do,” the current Celtic Manager said as reported by Scottish Sun. “It has come from the powers that be and we will just have to try and negotiate the fixtures if and when we can.
“It was only a month ago that we won it, which seems sort of strange to say.” Celtic beat Hearts in the final for the second season on a row with that game being delayed from May to December. But yes we will defend it as robustly and as best we can when the fixtures come around.
“Winning any trophy brings joy and success for the players and the supporters, that goes without saying. It would be a good way to finish, you know on a high, if we can but we are not really looking that fair ahead at the minute,” Lennon said.
“We have got a lot of games to negotiate, keep the squad healthy and on form.”
Whether the Scottish Cup will happen this season is still uncertain. It probably will although it could well be delayed and played to a conclusion at any time in 2021. Should Celtic retain the trophy the odds on Neil Lennon being the manager that lifts the trophy must be rather long.
Lennon’s musing on the Scottish Cup -” We have got a lot of games to negotiate , keep the squad healthy and on form .”
”On form ” ? Is he serious ? What form ?
How many wins in the last 20 games ?
Is he seriously planning on a long Cup run ?
Does he genuinely expect to be in post when the Cup resumes ?
I would never rule out any possibility of Celtic doing well in the Scottish Cup, always our favourite tournament.
I am a lot more worried about the tournament NOT taking place, given the attitude of the authorities which can best be described as “weak”, “pusillanimous” or “cowardly”. We must put pressure on the SFA to play the tournament and get it re-started as soon as possible.