The Diary: The Media And Smith Target Lennon

This week saw Neil Lennon join Anne Widdiecome and Katie Waissel as the most hated people in Britain according to the pulp fiction writers. While the other two are crimes against entertainment, Lennon’s crime (sic) was him being sent to the stand for such ‘outrageous‘ and ‘shocking‘ behaviour as arguing with a fourth official.

Lennon’s behaviour was as explosive as a wet banger compared to some. He never fought with an opposing manager on the touchline or after being sent to the stand charge along a row of seats to berate the match supervisor. That behaviour can be laughed off and blamed on being a grumpy old tool.

While I feel Lennon could do with sitting in the stand – he is still to close to being a player and Wednesday night saw rash decisions after the red mist descended- the mark change in his coverage proves that the Honeymoon is definitely over and leads to the sinister edge that followed Lennon as a player.

The press invent a demon so that the public can justify their hatred. ” It just seems my behaviour gets exaggerated, maybe because of who I am and who I manage. I’ve seen other managers [watch from the stands] and that might be something I will do down the line – I might have to.” observed Gingeriola at Friday’s press conference. Telling he added: “I’ve been hearing this for 10 years; tempers, tantrums, the same regurgitated rubbish I got as a player I’m getting as a manager, from the same people”.

We are seeing the pulp fictioners quoting anyone that has an ar$ehole regarding what Lennon should do. As Video Celt states letting guys like Mark Hateley – a walking pair of curtains who I would think twice about warning if he went to switch on a light when there was a gas leak – be ghost written, by a known apologist, blows the game out the water.

As usual the press are just following the leads. It seems that Walter Smith also wants to have a go. Off the record off course.

On Friday Graham Spiers tweeted: ” Meeting Walter Smith with 6/7 other fellow-hacks at midday Fri. Looking forward to hearing the grizzled old fox on #CFC + refs. Will inform…” If you have stopped being sick, I will continue….

A few hours later Brian McNally, Sportswriter with the SundayMirror, tweeted: So Walter, the #RFC manager with no surname, slagged off#CelticFC again with off-the-record comments. The truth from Lennon is biting home” This tweet and a little set off handbags between Spiers and McNally saw a back track from the one who slums it on a down market phone in since his papers paywall means no one reads him. It said: ” Slight botch today. Apols to Walter + #RFC for hinting, not divulging, press info. WS to get succulent lamb on me in Ubi Chip in reparation.”

This wasn’t the case last season when Tony Mowbray told the press something off the record that ended up all over the press.

While Lennon needs to curb his enthusiasm I’m more worried about the potential out-come of the witch-hunt.