Right folks. You asked for it.
There seems to be a judgement or acknowledgement that this website is strictly Anti-Neil Lennon. What utter tosh. I cannot speak for the other writers on the blog but I will speak for myself. Neil Lennon has always had my support and backing as a player at Celtic, as a coach when Mowbray treated him like a puppy and when he took over as manager. He was never my first choice as manager, but I decided from the word go I was behind this man, why not? After all we’d suffered a horrendous last year as it was.
Coming with my support, is my expectations. In his near enough 3 year spell as Celtic manager for 2 years Neil Lennon has more than satisfied my expectations as a Celtic supporter. However, in the past 12 months no one can deny that our attitude to domestic games has been nothing short of disgraceful. Before you go start blaming the players, Neil Lennon signed most of the players, he picks every single player, and he fought to hold on to every single one of those players during transfer windows.
You want to know what I really think? We’re seen as anti-Lennon because we’re the only website of a Celtic nature who will treat Neil Lennon fairly. We do not see him as some sort of messiah, because he is not. We will not let Neil Lennon get away with the fact we’re absolutely terrible to watch this season. We don’t sit content in our homes tweeting ‘HH’ to our followers saying ‘I’m sure Neil won’t be happy about this either.’ We do not tweet asking Neil Lennon to RT us because our sister’s mate’s had a baby and shes called her puppy Lenny. Neil Lennon is given a fair crack of the whip here. No one was as quick as us to praise him for a wonderful league win last year and a terrific European Campaign this year. For God Sake, I thought Lennon’s first name was GodBless the way twitter was going on.
One guy says he thinks FOR LENNON’S OWN CAREER SAKE that he should think about moving on and he gets a barrage? Why? Why isn’t the guy allowed an opinion?
I tweeted after watching Neil Lennon being attacked at Tynecastle that if the man woke up the next day, looked in the mirror and said he couldn’t go on, I’d 100% support him. Lennon carried on as Celtic manager and I supported him even more. But when Celtic had a shocking period in the 11/12 season I was very vocal against Neil Lennon. His team weren’t doing it, we expected them to romp the league but they were 15 points behind a very poor Rangers team (who recently passed away.) Â I challenged him to change it, he did, we won the league BUT we bottled it in the cups, but because we hadn’t won a league for 3 years including 2 last day resignations of the title I decided that were I may not be happy with Neil Lennon, I’m content.
No Rangers, No Problems? Thats what we were all told. What a laugh this season was going to be, everyone singing and dancing, parkhead buzzing and packed to capacity every week. Well that’s what it promised. But Lennon’s Celtic team didn’t live up to those promises. We were losing leads v St.Johnstone and Hibs, scraping for points v Ross County. We were giving points away at home quicker than you could get a Scotland Cap under Bertie Vogts.
Lennon’s excuse this year? A terrific, tremendous, super, extraordinary, magical, wonderful, sensational, great and ABSO-F**KING-LUTELY amazing European Run. We exceeded everyone’s wildest dreams getting to the last 16. Then we bottled it. Losing 5-0 to a no more than very good Juventus team. I thought we were a very good Celtic team.
Some people make the wrong assumptions about this website, because they have the wrong ideas about ‘The Gaffer’. There are people out there determined to have Lennon seen as some sort of angel. The guy is a good manager, but how far can he really take this Celtic team? I said I wasn’t happy about being horsed out of Europe and people said even getting to the last 16 was a great achievement, so what next for Lennon then in your minds?
I am unhappy with Neil Lennon and the way he’s managing Celtic. People hiding behind the league table when they know for a fact we were always going to win the league anyway. We’ve had a great European season but look what happened. We bottled it. Like we bottled all the cup finals and semi-finals we’ve lost in. The players look like they can’t be bothered and Lennon looks like he can’t be bothered. He took great credit (richly deserved) for the 4-3 comeback v Aberdeen. I even tweeted Lennon out at 3-1 and the comeback doesn’t change my mind. The Celtic fans have created a monster here in Neil Lennon, he won’t even come out and defend the fans against the Police Brutality they faced on Saturday. Is he interested in them? Would the Green Brigade swap having the league trophy grounded in front of them for 5 minutes for a positive sweeping statement from Neil Lennon condemning the way our fans are being treated? Of Course they would.
As a man and a person, Neil Lennon is a gem. Too many stories I’ve heard of how nice he is to people and what a great guy he is. I’d never dispute any of that for a minute.
But no man is bigger than Celtic. Not even the bold God Bless
Well thats an article and a half, agree with several points but i wouldnt quite go the whole mile like ur goodself has done, what i will most definitely agree with is the terrible league performances on numerous occasions this season both home and away, now i think what has really got my goat up( thats dirty talk for any Huns reading) is after the shockers that we hav Neil pans the players attitudes, even singles some out,(commons) and tells us all that he’s going to bring sweeping changes in, players getting benched ect, yet the following week we’r watching virtualy the same team play the same tatics and perform pathetic again. How i would give lenny 1 more season to really stamp his mark in Scotland, not asking him to win champions league, but he should be dominating the spl by a country mile, and i meen by performances on the pitch, tatics right nearly every week, top performances from top player every week, if not then i wont be satisfied by just winning a poor league with a mediocre team. To play football the Glasgow Celtic way, thats all i ask, ENTERTAIN ME. Hail hail, GOD BLESS THE CELTIC+
Agreed mate, Lennon said ‘there were people unfairly criticising my team after last week’ on Saturday. IT WAS HIM WHO WAS DOING IT! haha!
What we are dealing with here is a young manager who’s first job is in charge of one of the worlds most prominent football teams.
To applaud his triumphs or criticise his errors is not wrong in fact it is entirely healthy.
Examples of this could be against Barca sending in Tony Watt could be viewed as a genius master stroke but playing Efe in the Juventus game could be seen as a deriliction of duty.
Even the great Jock Stein admitted he cost us another European cup against Feyenourd because he took them too lightly along with a Lisbon lion team getting pumped 4-1 by a Patrick thistle team in the cup final for the same reason.
What I guess I’m trying to say is that the frailties levelled at Neil can also be levelled at even the best.
Where Neil will slot in, in the table of successful Celtic managers only time will tell.
In the meantime I am in total agreement that we should be able to criticise or applaud our manager in equal measures without being deemed to be a heretic or a sycophant.
Good points. I think history will be ultimately kind to Lennon in the end up. You’re right though, its time we were allowed to share a healthy debate
This article serves only to prove that when it comes to being fickle as football fans everywhere are to differing degrees, Celtic fans are miles ahead. Faithful through and through-don’t think so. Why don’t you just leave and the let rest of us enjoy “supporting the Club”.
What’s your point?? That nobody should have an opinion????? The topic is about Lennon so why don’t you let us hear yours.
Neil’s achievements have exceeded all expectations and as such we should be singing his praises not looking for faults at every turn.
Totally agree with your first point. But do you not agree aswell as singing his praises commenting on where he’s gone wrong is healthy, as the old cliche goes no man is bigger than the club.
Outstanding. Well said Bruce bhoy. And well said every other post on this. The day a Celtic fan can’t say what he think and feels. Is the day to disband the club. But that day will never come thank god. As for the nuts and bolts of the debate….. Neil lennons highs far outweigh his lows. And I’m more than willing to see what else he can do here. I don’t agree that he’s shot his bolt at parkhead. Far from it. Remember these superstars that are allegedly leaving in the summer where all signed by him. I can’t wait to see what he does with some real money. So yes I will say god bless Neil Lennon. Stroll on ya wee gingy bushed nutter. The majority of the family still adore you. We don’t care about st mirren or juventus. We only care that the glorious Glasgow Celtic are going in the right direction. And right now top to bottom. We are. HAIL HAIL.
Of course he has made mistakes and I have criticised some decisions-it is the tone of your article where clearly you have no love for Neil Lennon that concerns me particularly when you consider the shocking treatment he has received and continues to receive in this country. To use words like disgraceful as you do regarding our manager is way over the top and not befitting a true Celtic fan-you let yourself down throughout the article with these ill-considered remarks. As for the Green Brigade, that is another matter and one I do have great concern about but it is not for Neil Lennon to defend individuals or groups of supporters. I found that particular comment a “cheap shot”. So thanks Neil for another great season, God Bless.