Neil Lennon takes his misfiring Celtic side to Fir Park tomorrow knowing that three points are an absolute requirement from the day or it may turn out to be his last game in charge. It is fair to say that the majority of the support, perhaps the vast majority are now unconvinced that he is the man who can lead Celtic to Ten-in-a-Row, with many even worrying that Hearts are going to get the better of this season’s underachievers who on Thursday night embarrassed the Hoops.
“It was lackadaisical and half-hearted and that’s on me,” Lennon admitted. Speaking to the media, as reported by Scottish Sun the Celtic manager laid the situation on the line for everyone, the support, the board and most importantly the players, all understand.
“Obviously, I’ll get the blame, but we are a close unit and I don’t want any separation as if it’s me against them. It’s not.
“The players have to hold their hands up sometimes. I can’t keep protecting them and defending them. Thursday was indefensible.
“I used the word humble after the game. I touched on it after Ferencvaros, so we need to get that back and that’s down to the individual.
“Thursday’s game was not a reflection of me. I’ve told them that. That’s not how I want my teams to play. So I need to change the culture a little bit.”
There was a brief moment of hope on Thursday after substitute Leigh Griffiths got Celtic back into the game with a well taken goal but even the Celtic manager was unconvinced himself that his players were going to salvage something from the game.
“We made the changes and it looked as though it was going to work. At 2-1, I thought we were on the front foot. But I said to John Kennedy, ‘Can they see this through with the way they are playing?’. And obviously we couldn’t.
“So we need to have a real good look at it and change the culture. Maybe being a little bit harder on them might be the way forward. But then again you can get criticised for that.
“Ultimately, they are professional footballers and the reputation of the club is important. If they fall below that standard, then they need reminding of their responsibilities.”
Lennon understands that his position is very much under threat and only winning games eases that pressure, which is now almost off the scale. “It’s important to win as we have some catching up to do in the league.
“We have to find a level of consistency and then we’ll have a two-week break afterwards. But we’ve only ourselves to blame for putting ourselves under pressure with performances like that.
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“You’re going to get criticised and this time I think it’s justified. I don’t want to keep chopping and changing the team, but it might be necessary to do that.
“Going into the last international break, we’d won eight and had kept four clean sheets. Since then we’ve been pretty inconsistent. I hope the players go away, be successful and come back fit and then we build.
“We have to find a level of consistency of performance. Not just the team, but individuals as well. Far too many of them have been up and down this season.
“Without the crowds, I don’t think home and away is such a big advantage as it would be. But we need to knuckle down and start playing properly. We need to do the basics of the game lot better. We gave it up far too easily against Sparta.
“After a performance like that, you are going to be under the spotlight. So I need a performance and we definitely need a win. The players don’t owe me anything for what we’ve achieved over the past 18 months since I came back.
“But they’ll be disappointed with our performances against Sparta, no question of that. Their application, which should be a given at this level and this club, was lacking. That’s on them.
“So whether they do it for me or do it for themselves, regardless, they have to do it for the club. Respond, rebound. We need to find a level. I don’t think it’s fitness issues. But something didn’t click because we let the game get away from us very quickly.”
