The End is Nigh – Kenny McIntyre on Neil Lennon’s interview: “Yeah, it felt different tonight. We shall see”

The Celtic fans media were excluded from the club’s Mainstream Media Conference with Neil Lennon and Scott Brown on Friday, presumably after Dave from The Cynic asked Neil Lennon a proper question at the previous press Zoom call. You can hear the apprehension in the hacks voices as they try to structure their questions to get something that they can use as a headline but without upsetting the short tempered and these days easily offended Celtic manager.

So credit where it is due to the BBC Scotland’s Kenny McIntyre for his interview with the Celtic manager after the 2-1 defeat to a St Mirren side who thoroughly deserved their victory with Jim Goodwin out-thinking and out-coaching Neil Lennon, John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan who have now completely lost any remaining credibility with the Celtic support.

“Thanks for the feedback on the interview with Celtic manager Neil Lennon. In terms of how he conducts himself in these difficult interviews I can only pay him enormous credit.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“We’ve had a few recently. He faces up every time. Other managers could learn from him in that respect,” McIntyre tweeted after receiving plenty of feedback on the social media channel.

The Celtic View used to get called Pravda by the support, back in the days before the internet and digital TV channels like Celtic TV. Gerry McCulloch as anchor recently described theRangers lead at the top of the league as ‘Fake News’ and bringing in the likes of Peter ‘whats-his-name’ Martin riled the support. Even the re-uniting the central defensive partnership of Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus appeared to be a trolling exercise against the support – 60,000 of whom have paid on average around £600 to watch this all unfolding. Celtic TV is the new Pravda – the recent Dubai apology to the support from the out-going CEO Peter Lawwell (credit to him for having enough self awareness to fall on his own sword after his key role in this monumental mess of a season) was cringingly bad journalism from a compromised McCulloch, hired and paid by the man he was ‘grilling’.

Yesterday Neil Lennon spoke to McIntyre at BBC Sportsound and also to Celtic TV and just like St Mirren schooled Celtic in the pitch, McIntyre (one of the biggest blue-noses as the state broadcaster in Govan) schooled Celtic TV. As we said, credit where it is due.

Here’s McIntyre asking the difficult questions after the game yesterday…

And here is what Pravda TV served up…

Celtic fans, and others replying to McIntyre: “That was an excellent interview…..not the mince we hear on Celtic TV.”…”Well done Kenny, the questions were spot on and exactly what the fans have been wanting to hear. I thought he handled it pretty well but it also seemed like he felt a bit relieved. Relieved that he now knows it’s over and it seems like he doesn’t need to fight anymore”…McIntyre replied to this comment saying…”Yeah, it felt different tonight. We shall see.”

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I was a bit critical of your interview before the Livi game but today, I felt your interview was excellent. Relevant questions and a mutual respect between yourself and NL. Good to hear”…”Good interview fair play, do that more than the sensationalism stuff! I pay £600 for Celtic TV and I never got to see an interview with the manager never mind questions like that. Not the first time Celtic TV have done that as well yet they stayed on air later to get some words”…again McIntyre relied saying…”Club tv is fine for standard interviews. Some of the material and the features I have seen have been terrific, but I believe interviews such as Peter Lawwell’s apology should have been done by an outside broadcaster.”

“Outstanding work. Proves that the strongest characters don’t mind answering tough questions”…”It was an excellent interview Kenny. You asked the right questions. When a team is losing they are tough questions to face but Neil Lennon didn’t shirk them”…

Today is the last day in January and the Review we were promised last month has not so far been delivered as Celtic have imploded on and off the park. The situation CANNOT be allowed to continue a day longer.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds 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

1 Comment

  1. Francis Lester on

    I am 61 years old and always felt like part of a family where Celtic have been concerned, apart from the Kelly years, I am still a season ticket holder as is my sons and grandsons. I feel now like a cash cow customer for this organisation. To pay the amount of money we pay each season which is in the thousands of pounds and be treated as someone who should put up and shut up and not have an opinion is disgusting and I and my sons will not be renewing our books to be treated this way when we can still watch EVERY game on sky , premier and free stream channels for free. Very dissatisfied and disappointed with the whole set up and unless we are spoken to and listened to as valued customers and see change from top to bottom that is the way it will stay, and I can assure you I’ve spoken to many fans and friends who will be doing the same if we continue to be ignored.