Jump to content

My Celtic side haven't bottled it during SPL run-in, insists boss Neil Lennon

davekerrthebear
 Share

Recommended Posts

davekerrthebear

davekerrthebear 124

Posted
Posted

May 8 2011 Mark Guidi, Sunday Mail

NEIL LENNON last night blasted back at the critics who have branded his Celtic side title bottlers.

The Hoops handed the championship initiative to Rangers with a shock 3-2 loss at Inverness in midweek.

And they head into today's clash at Kilmarnock four points off the pace after the Ibrox side's thumping win over Hearts yesterday.

In the wake of the Highland humbling it was suggested Lennon's players don't have the experience or mentality to stop Gers landing three-in-a-row.

But Lennon hit back and said: "I don't want my team perceived as weak and certainly don't want to be perceived as a weak manager because I don't think I am.

"We have been banging on to the lads all season that the priority is to win the title and that hasn't changed.

"I was disappointed with Wednesday. For a 15-minute spell after halftime we never got out of the blocks.

"Defensively we have been excellent this season but the back four were poor as a unit.

"We can't get it back but there's a lot we can do to affect what goes on for the rest of the season. We are positive and the title is still up for grabs. We have to win all our games.

"We've made significant progress this season and I've enjoyed watching the team play. The style of football and togetherness have been great. We are still very excited."

Celts have taken seven points from the four Old Firm league clashes this season and Lennon believes he has the better team.

He also sees parallels with 2003 when the side he played for reached the UEFA Cup Final but Gers pipped them to the title on goal difference.

The race will go down to the wire again if the Hoops beat Killie today then see off Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday.

But Lennon said:"It doesn't matter to me if you finish one or 20 points behind. I want to win the championship and we still have a good chance.

"I'm pretty positive we can win our games. There is pressure on both Old Firm sides but the pot at the end of the rainbow is still the same.

"People talk about similarities with 2003 and you can't say that Celtic team wasn't mentally strong.

"We went to the UEFA Cup Final, played in the League Cup Final and won 4-0 on the last day of the season.

"There was no lack of bottle there. We also had a good team in 2005 when we lost on the last day at Motherwell.

"We got done by a wonder goal then chased a winner and were done by a freak goal for their second. It's nothing to do with bottle - it's just breaks.

"What we achieved in 2003 gave us great pride. We felt we were the best team but didn't win the league.

"I feel like that now. But if Rangers win the league they can say they are worthy champions because if they beat us to the title they deserve it."

fuck off lennon ya fanny :rolleyes:

Link to post
Share on other sites
CraigRFC.

CraigRFC. 10

Posted
Posted

"I feel like that now. But if Rangers win the league they can say they are worthy champions because if they beat us to the title they deserve it."

As long as you remember that..

Remember no excuses..

Link to post
Share on other sites
cstamomusa

cstamomusa 3,811

Posted
Posted

Septic seem to like talking about winning rather than actually winning. :pipe:

It's the " I'm not going to talk about this" " I can't say anything about this player" but he always does that gets on my nerves. power_of_anguish.png

Link to post
Share on other sites
RFC55

RFC55 109,207

Posted
Posted

Im agreeing with Neil on many of the points he raises. Man for man, pound for pound they are the best side in the SPL. Maybe if the referees stopped cheating they would be 15 points clear. Imo only if Celtic win this seasons title will justice be done. I mean he went and spent wisely and some of the signings made by neil are just :drool: . Commons, Izaguirre(sp) he reminds me so much or Roberto Carlos, Kayal a kind of Israeli Scholes! Hooper the spl's best striker since the days of other Celtic greats.

I really think they havent bottled it, they have been hard done by imo of course

Link to post
Share on other sites
Senna

Senna 735

Posted
Posted

"I was disappointed with Wednesday. For a 15-minute spell after halftime we never got out of the blocks.

That's shockingly unfair on Caley - and also a large dash of bullshit.

Had Zaluska been in goals, that match would have been 5-1.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Upcoming Events

    • Celtic v Rangers
      11 May 2024 11:30 Until 13:30
      0  
      celtic v Rangers
      celtic Park
      Scottish Premiership
      Live on Sky Sports Football HD and Sky Sports Main Event
×
×
  • Create New...