Gazza's one last run
Well-Known Member
Fair enough, that'll be a great consolation to the average beggar
It's Covid-19 faultLurgan bigot making digs at teams that have improved this season...
Celtic look to keep slim hopes of 10th consecutive title alive as bottom club Hamilton visit Celtic Park
Neil Lennon sees parallels between Celtic and Liverpool, who have suffered a 30 point swing to Premier League leaders Manchester Unitedwww.telegraph.co.uk
Celtic look to keep slim hopes of 10th consecutive title alive as bottom club Hamilton visit Celtic Park
Neil Lennon sees parallels between Celtic and Liverpool, who have suffered a 30 point swing to Premier League leaders Manchester United
As Neil Lennon contemplated what have been the best and worst of times in his managerial career, he cited a tale of two cities by way of mitigation. The Celtic manager – whose players are at home to Hamilton tonight – supervised the completion of a fourth successive domestic treble by winning the deferred 2020 Scottish Cup final against Hearts last month, but defeat by Rangers in the New Year Old Firm derby eroded the already slim chance that the Hoops could achieve the 10th successive championship their supporters so ravenously desired.
The team’s subsequent warm-weather training trip to Dubai was rendered toxic by political point-scoring and the discovery that Christopher Jullien had tested positive for Covid-19, forcing Lennon, his assistant manager and 13 players to self-isolate during games against Hibs and Livingston, both of which were drawn. A further tied meeting with Livingston last week means that Celtic have yet to record a victory this year.
That said, the malaise affecting the team has been evident all season and Lennon suggested a parallel between events in the east end of Glasgow and at Liverpool, where the relationship between club and fans is regarded as similarly symbiotic. “I’m watching with interest how Liverpool are going,” Lennon said.
“There is a 30-point swing between them and Manchester United from this time last year. Now that’s not normal - it’s just not normal. Manchester United have improved but not to the extent of it being a 30-point swing.”
“Listen, I would not have enjoyed this season as a player. You thrive on the atmosphere. It brings the best out in you. We’ve talked for years of the European nights at Celtic Park where it lifted us to another level. The players have been bereft of that.”
“It’s not the total explanation but it is a part of it that there has been a flatness that comes from the lack of energy, atmosphere, rawness that normally the players would pick up on.”
Asked if that absence might have had the biggest effect on incoming players who have never experienced a full house on a high-octane occasion at Celtic Park, Lennon said: “The Celtic support is a huge selling point when you are bringing players in, especially players from a different environment, culture and way of playing football.
“They can’t go to a restaurant, can’t go for a coffee, be anywhere. It is just training ground or home. Some clubs have adapted better to it, some clubs haven’t and have clearly suffered and we are definitely one of those clubs that have.”
Without the allure and motivation of ravenous crowds and amidst a campaign that has unravelled for the defending champions, some Celtic players evidently had enough early in the proceedings, but Jeremie Frimpong was not believed to be amongst them until Tuesday, when it was revealed that the 20-year-old Dutch defender was abroad in talks - believed to be with Bayer Leverkusen - and that the Parkhead club had accepted a healthy offer for an individual who wanted out.
“This has been in the offing for the past couple of months,” Lennon said. “We offered the player talks for a new deal but he made it clear that he wanted to leave, despite our best efforts to keep him.”
“I feel a bit let down because we felt we could progress him further and we offered him a new deal which would have kept him here for another two or three years but it was down to the player’s personal ambition.”
you won't see Tommy Sheridan making any more videos defending Lennon now. He is seething at that comment from Lennon.I thought this was going to be about a kids play park.
I reckon a few Telegraph readers will raise their eyebrows at that phrase.i can't believe that line made into a national paper
A journo actually wrote this:
“The team’s subsequent warm-weather training trip to Dubai was rendered toxic by political point-scoring”
That’s what I was about to say as well. It’s been rendered toxic even by their own fans.A journo actually wrote this:
“The team’s subsequent warm-weather training trip to Dubai was rendered toxic by political point-scoring”
That's true because we've been told it. That's how it works isn't it, if they say it, then it's definitely true!!!It’s because Covid impacts celtic more than anyone else in the world
We have won the last three games against them two at the Piggery one with a full house explain that ya fud,and some on here actually felt sorry for him gees a break .It’s not down to them not having a crowd, it’s down to us improving consistently. If there was crowds allowed we’d still be ahead of them and they would be getting booed off every week because they can’t handle that fact.
There's clearly a strategy being worked on here, "Rangers aren't better than us, it's just that we have better fans and so we miss them more, Rangers are scared of their fans"
Yes, whereas Lennon just prefers to play midfielders at the back as the centre backs he’s bought are pish!Is he talking about the Liverpool that lost 3 centre backs this season to injury and are playing with midfielders as defenders ? Aye that's the exact same as celtic just being pish
Hey! I’m expecting Accies to pick up a point tonight.It's a shame Hamilton aren't good enough for a draw. A winless January would have been fun.
Tell a lie often enough and everyone starts believing it.When we win the league it wasn’t our efforts or endeavour that won it for us it was selics jolly bad luck.It's actually mental how they keep going on about Celtic being so much more affected than anyone else
NO ExcusesHappily took last seasons title early due to Covid.
Now in the following season because its not going your way its Covid thats to blame?
If anything footballers should be far more focused on the game this season as there's little else going on in the world to distract them.
Excuse after excuse with this guy, he's an embarrassment.
I am picturing the idiot turning up at training today with a big family size Jar of Nescafé and table spoon, trying to shovel it into the players.He’s at it and clutching at straws.
He is believing the stories about Liverpool and caffeine loading and thinking that’s going on with us.
Maybe he should look at his team, club, coaching staff and support teams to see where the failings are.
Whilst we were investing, they were all slapping each other’s backs thinking how great they are whilst there was no real competition. They got complacent and are paying for that now.
They won't be lifting them to the top level when fans eventually return because their top level will be closed.The crowds at celtic Park lift them to another level?
Whats the fucking starting level then, because when they had crowds in they were still getting pumped daft
Does it lift them from fucking abysmally shite to just plain shite?
Fuçk off you piss head jakeball ratfink fucking cùnt
This is where the whole "Teams hufty live within thur means" crap comes from.No other team is allowed to improve. They all must remain shite. And Celtic just need to turn up. Is that about right Neic?
Elite sport is exempt.How can Frimpong travel abroad with the current restrictions?