Europa League Group Stages – 4 November 2020. Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague – Neil Lennon could have walked after the Ferencvaros Fiasco in August or the dreadful performance against theRangers in October but he should have left – or have been sacked after this woeful night of humiliation in the Europa League against a Sparta Prague team without most of their first team due to a Covid outbreak. The performance was akin to Tony Mowbray’s last game in charge away to St Mirren and there was only one logic outcome after this night of infamy for Celtic. Sadly neither Neil Lennon nor the Celtic Board could see what was was clear enough to the rest of us. It wasn’t working and unless changes were made immediately the ten would be lost.
Afterwards Neil Lennon had this to say:
‘This is definitely a turning point – it won’t happen again, that’s for sure. We can’t accept that and the players know that as well. I can’t defend the players. I’ve tried to over the piece, but I can’t defend them tonight.
“Lack of application, lack of hunger and that’s not us, so there has to be a culture change and I’ve got to change it quickly and the players need to change quickly as well because that’s totally unacceptable for a club of our standing. It is an accumulation of things.
“We need to get back to showing a bit more humility and start working harder on the training ground.”
“A devastatingly bad performance,” David Potter’s Verdict
This was an absolutely shocking performance. This was a Celtic team in name only, and little can be said to mitigate or excuse the performance of any of the players. I don’t think we can listen to any excuses about lack of fans or pandemics. This is the time that we need a Celtic team to cheer us up. It was not forthcoming tonight.
It was all the more frustrating and disheartening after we thought we had turned the corner on Sunday. Just what went wrong? Well, Chris Sutton talked about the team being “gutless”. One cannot disagree.
It was a devastatingly bad performance, and it is really difficult to see Celtic picking themselves up from this. We must accept that Europe will finish before Christmas. The really depressing thing is that this game has now imperilled the other tournaments as well. TheRangers and Hearts now must be rubbing their hands with glee and anticipation, as indeed will Motherwell who face us on Sunday. And Aberdeen must be wondering why they are so bad!
Even our better players – Callum McGregor (who did at least give an honest interview at the end), Ryan Christie, Tom Rogic and Diego Laxalt were little better than ordinary. Shane Duffy and Odsonne Edouard cannot in any way be excused, Jeremie Frimpong huffed and puffed but ultimately did little, and he really must learn how to cross a ball and find a colleague! Elyounoussi is the greatest enigma of them all. “Inconsistency” simply does not come into it. Is there an attitude problem here?
Sadly, now the knives will be out for Neil Lennon once again. But whenever the players go over that white line, there is little that he can do. I think Neil has made mistakes this year, but those who want him out must think ahead and have a replacement. Otherwise, Neil should stay. Europe may have gone, but there are still four Scottish tournaments to play for, and Neil is still the best chance we have.
But he must have the support of the players. There are several players who really must have a long think to themselves and realise just what it means to wear a Celtic jersey!
David Potter
While David Potter continued to back Neil Lennon after this disgrace other writers on this site, myself included were saying that Neil Lennon’s time was now up.
Issues – Terrible attitude, Tactical ineptitude, non-trying players, unfit players, no teamwork, rock bottom morale
