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Neil Lennon: It's petty and extreme to say Rangers are a new club


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Save this link to throw in their stupid, petty, extreme, now shiting themselves faces when you hear the "new club" grunting again.   This will be killing them and even more so if he becomes their manager again.

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NEIL Lennon’s juices are flowing. Thirty-three derbies as a player, a dozen as a manager – and he still can’t get enough.

So don’t try telling him the game he’s analysing for Sky this afternoon is any different. He’s not buying it.

And he believes anyone denying the existence of the Old Firm as an entity any more, anyone who insists Rangers making the Scottish Cup Final with a win today would be doing it for the first time, is doing so at the far extremes of pettiness.

Lennon may be in the box rather than the dugout or on the pitch at Hampden but few better understand the vagaries of the fixture.

And in a wide-ranging look ahead to the return of the madness, he reckons:

● Mark Warburton has a free hit at Celtic for the first and last time.

● Ronny Deila has it all to lose in defeat and little to gain in victory.

● Peter Lawwell will finally loosen the purse strings in the summer with the return of their old rivals to the league.

● Oh, and Celtic will win…

Lennon said: “The juices are still flowing. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about it.

“The door is always open to doing it from the dugout again – I made that clear when I left – but this time I’ll just be an interested observer although I won’t be impartial.”

He will be realistic, however, and although he respects the vast range of views on offer about the club his old side are facing today, he’s not interested in the fundamentalist view that this is only the second time the two have met, or that Gers would be winning the trophy for the first time rather than the 34th. He sighed: “No, not in my view anyway.

“Some people may see it as that but then you’re getting to the extremes of being petty about the whole thing. I wouldn’t see it like that, put it that way. I think players and fans would see it the same way.

“Some people with extreme views would see it the other way. People have their own opinions and they are 
entitled to them. I think the parity of Scottish football is coming back now, which is important going forward.

“Of course, some fans are going to say they haven’t missed playing Rangers over the last few years. 
Publicly. But subconsciously they will be itching for it.

“It’s a good marker to see where both teams really are in terms of domestic football anyway.

“And the excitement surrounding it is great to have back. It’s one of the great fixtures in world football and it has been sorely missed.”

That marker for next season is arguably the most intriguing part of this afternoon’s clash – and Lennon believes Rangers’ second-tier status gives Ibrox boss Warburtonan edge.

He said: “The pressure is on Celtic, obviously, going in as clear favourites.

“Rangers have a free game, if you want to call it that, in terms of having a look at where they are. If they win, that will be fantastic for them – getting bragging rights.

“If they lose then they will go: ‘Well, we know where we are now’. But I expect them to lose. Celtic will win because they have the stronger and more experienced players but, as always, it’s going to be fascinating to see how both teams approach it.

“There’s no question it’s the last free Old Firm game Mark Warburton will have, though.

“Look, he’s done everything that’s been asked of him. He’s won the league, the Petrofac Cup, taken them to a semi-final now. The acid test is how they deal with an Old Firm game.

“This will be different for his players. They are young, they’ve been entertaining as Mark’s Brentford team were as well, playing an expansive style of football.

“At Bolton, we drew 2-2 with them. There is a cohesion to his style but it does leave them vulnerable defensively sometimes.

“And this is a big pitch that may suit them going forward but, defensively, Celtic could hurt them particularly on the counter-attack.

“They won’t have come up against a team this season with the quality, strength and calibre of player that Celtic have.”

Despite that, Lennon doesn’t see much upside for his Norwegian successor. He said: “If Ronny wins, people will have expected him to win. If they lose, he’s going to come under criticism.

“But I’m sure Ronny will be as positive as he can going into the game and quite rightly so. They are on the brink of his second title in a row, albeit it’s not been with memorable performances but they’re getting the job done.

“Celtic need this game. The players need it. They need the atmosphere. They need the tension, the pressure, the build-up. That’s been missing.”

So has the quality, from both sides, but Lennon doesn’t believe it should diminish the drama.

He said: “When I played there were world-class players on the pitch.

“At the turn of the millennium we had Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, Stilian Petrov, Paul Lambert. Then you had Stefan Klos, Jorg Albertz, Tugay, Michael Mols and Ronald de Boer. The game was laced with players who could grace most teams in Europe. Times are different now. But still, the anticipation is huge for this game. The build-up has been tremendous.”

Lennon may be in the box rather than the dugout or on the pitch at Hampden but few better understand the vagaries of the fixture.

And in a wide-ranging look ahead to the return of the madness, he reckons:

● Mark Warburton has a free hit at Celtic for the first and last time.

● Ronny Deila has it all to lose in defeat and little to gain in victory.

● Peter Lawwell will finally loosen the purse strings in the summer with the return of their old rivals to the league.

● Oh, and Celtic will win…

Barry Ferguson and Neil Lennon in 2006

Lennon said: “The juices are still flowing. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about it.

“The door is always open to doing it from the dugout again – I made that clear when I left – but this time I’ll just be an interested observer although I won’t be impartial.”

He will be realistic, however, and although he respects the vast range of views on offer about the club his old side are facing today, he’s not interested in the fundamentalist view that this is only the second time the two have met, or that Gers would be winning the trophy for the first time rather than the 34th. He sighed: “No, not in my view anyway.

“Some people may see it as that but then you’re getting to the extremes of being petty about the whole thing. I wouldn’t see it like that, put it that way. I think players and fans would see it the same way.

“Some people with extreme views would see it the other way. People have their own opinions and they are 
entitled to them. I think the parity of Scottish football is coming back now, which is important going forward.

“Of course, some fans are going to say they haven’t missed playing Rangers over the last few years. 
Publicly. But subconsciously they will be itching for it.

“It’s a good marker to see where both teams really are in terms of domestic football anyway.

“And the excitement surrounding it is great to have back. It’s one of the great fixtures in world football and it has been sorely missed.”

Neil Lennon and Neil McCann with the Scottish Cup earlier this week

That marker for next season is arguably the most intriguing part of this afternoon’s clash – and Lennon believes Rangers’ second-tier status gives Ibrox boss Warburtonan edge.

He said: “The pressure is on Celtic, obviously, going in as clear favourites.

“Rangers have a free game, if you want to call it that, in terms of having a look at where they are. If they win, that will be fantastic for them – getting bragging rights.

“If they lose then they will go: ‘Well, we know where we are now’. But I expect them to lose. Celtic will win because they have the stronger and more experienced players but, as always, it’s going to be fascinating to see how both teams approach it.

“There’s no question it’s the last free Old Firm game Mark Warburton will have, though.

“Look, he’s done everything that’s been asked of him. He’s won the league, the Petrofac Cup, taken them to a semi-final now. The acid test is how they deal with an Old Firm game.

“This will be different for his players. They are young, they’ve been entertaining as Mark’s Brentford team were as well, playing an expansive style of football.

“At Bolton, we drew 2-2 with them. There is a cohesion to his style but it does leave them vulnerable defensively sometimes.

“And this is a big pitch that may suit them going forward but, defensively, Celtic could hurt them particularly on the counter-attack.

REUTERS

Neil Lennon and captain Scott Brown with the league trophy

“They won’t have come up against a team this season with the quality, strength and calibre of player that Celtic have.”

Despite that, Lennon doesn’t see much upside for his Norwegian successor. He said: “If Ronny wins, people will have expected him to win. If they lose, he’s going to come under criticism.

“But I’m sure Ronny will be as positive as he can going into the game and quite rightly so. They are on the brink of his second title in a row, albeit it’s not been with memorable performances but they’re getting the job done.

“Celtic need this game. The players need it. They need the atmosphere. They need the tension, the pressure, the build-up. That’s been missing.”

So has the quality, from both sides, but Lennon doesn’t believe it should diminish the drama.

He said: “When I played there were world-class players on the pitch.

“At the turn of the millennium we had Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, Stilian Petrov, Paul Lambert. Then you had Stefan Klos, Jorg Albertz, Tugay, Michael Mols and Ronald de Boer. The game was laced with players who could grace most teams in Europe. Times are different now. But still, the anticipation is huge for this game. The build-up has been tremendous.”

Rangers Manager Mark Warburton with the trophy.

He believes that can only augur well for the game as a whole and Celtic’s finances and attendances in particular.

With the ground closer to half full than full most weeks now, Lennon insisted: “I think that’s all going to change now. With Rangers coming back you’re going to have at least four derbies a year.

“For me that will improve the enticement for the Scottish game in terms of selling it around the world, TV rights, and I’d like to think more money will come into the game.

“You’ve got the big fixture back, revenues will go up around the grounds as well, I’d imagine. 
The competition and interest will heighten.”

The return of that competition, whether perceived or real, will see Celtic invest to stave it off at the pass, according to the former manager.

Despite his own frustrations at the lack of funds available to him to strengthen for Champions League duties, he said: “I think they will go and spend money.

“I don’t know what the financial position is as I’ve been away for three seasons now but I would imagine they’ll be in a strong position to spend if they need to.

“With the two big teams back in the league, it will be an easier sell to bring in players too then with the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League and maybe playing in the Champions League they might be able to attract a certain style of players as well, which will be good for Celtic.”

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/football/football-news/former-celtic-boss-neil-lennon-7770329#mKByD9f7c98SAxFX.97

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This kind of nonsense pisses me off. Because again imo Lennon is trying to be clever. He is basically saying people can have their own opinions and make up their own minds,which is complete and utter tosh. There is NO debate and "fans" of other clubs have absolutely no say in this. The governing body is the sole arbiter in this matter and they have made their viewpoint abundantly clear.

http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/rangers/

This is not open to opinions. I would love to "believe" Pacific Shelf the company formed in 1994 has never won the EC,however the SPFL website tells me they have so i have no option other than accept it. Lennon..just STFU.

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1 hour ago, Bluepeter9 said:

He also said Barry's goal was great and that Ramgers dictated tactics and Made Celtic react ! Fair assessment - I bet he was greeting saying that! 

Lennon could be their next manager so I'm not surprised he's talking down this current Celtic side.  He wants Ronny out so he can get in, lol.

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Can't really argue that he called it as he saw it today.  When I've heard him as a pundit before he's been pretty sensible - compare him to the rubbish Sutton and Hartson spout, for instance.

That said, he's still Neil Lennon so f*ck him

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5 hours ago, siddiqi_drinker said:

Did you actually read the article? 

 

Aye and i still hate the cunt, your a fuckin weapon that prick says some neutral things about rangers just because he knew they weren't as good as he makes out to be and covers his black arse and you want me to congratulate him or something? Off the forums ya cretin cunt. Cant believe am getting pulled up by someone on this trying to give me shit for not praising neil lennon for saying something non derogatory about our club. FS

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39 minutes ago, M0NTY said:

Aye and i still hate the cunt, your a fuckin weapon that prick says some neutral things about rangers just because he knew they weren't as good as he makes out to be and covers his black arse and you want me to congratulate him or something? Off the forums ya cretin cunt. Cant believe am getting pulled up by someone on this trying to give me shit for not praising neil lennon for saying something non derogatory about our club. FS

Hmmmmmm ok.

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47 minutes ago, M0NTY said:

Aye and i still hate the cunt, your a fuckin weapon that prick says some neutral things about rangers just because he knew they weren't as good as he makes out to be and covers his black arse and you want me to congratulate him or something? Off the forums ya cretin cunt. Cant believe am getting pulled up by someone on this trying to give me shit for not praising neil lennon for saying something non derogatory about our club. FS

You're trying too hard Toto.

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51 minutes ago, M0NTY said:

Aye and i still hate the cunt, your a fuckin weapon that prick says some neutral things about rangers just because he knew they weren't as good as he makes out to be and covers his black arse and you want me to congratulate him or something? Off the forums ya cretin cunt. Cant believe am getting pulled up by someone on this trying to give me shit for not praising neil lennon for saying something non derogatory about our club. FS

I think its time you logged off. Don't come on here and abuse posters for having an opinion. Take yer shitey 39 posts and get to fuck.

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2 minutes ago, PromDeAnglais said:

I must have fell and smacked my heed today because I found myself agreeing with near enough everything he said. Credit where credit is due as they say....

M8 some people seem to think cause we agree with what he says that somehow we pander to him.  In fact the original point was that, if someone aas bitter as him is giving us credit, it only serves tot demonstrate conclusively how dominant Rangers were.  

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2 minutes ago, siddiqi_drinker said:

M8 some people seem to think cause we agree with what he says that somehow we pander to him.  In fact the original point was that, if someone aas bitter as him is giving us credit, it only serves tot demonstrate conclusively how dominant Rangers were.  

Couldn't agree more. It must hurt the soap dodgers so badly hearing him praise us...

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