Martin O’Neill, the former Celtic manager, has told the Parkhead support that their concerns over losing 10-in-a-row are premature.
Celtic are currently 11 points shy of Rangers, although the Ibrox side have played two games more. Neil Lennon’s position has come under intense scrutiny after a season in which Celtic went out of the Champions League at the second qualification stage and have struggled to find any significant momentum domestically.
O’Neill, though, retains a confidence in Lennon that he has the capability and nuance to turn things around and close the gap on Steven Gerrard’s side.
“The league is not over. Not by a long shot,” said O’Neill. “Can Celtic get it back? Absolutely they can get it back. Covid issues have been huge. Boli Bolingoli talking himself off for a jaunt to Spain put Celtic in bother because those games in hand aren’t a problem until your rivals are picking up a bit of momentum and then all of a sudden there is a bit of psychology at play.”
O’Neill also called for an appreciation of Lennon’s track record and suggested that current criticism is lacking in the respect that he deserves.
“If I had walked back into Celtic Park for a second spell after a manager had just left and there was a Treble Treble at stake, if I had delivered it and then stood on the cusp of delivering another one – and he is just one game away from that – I would be asking myself ‘just where is this pressure coming from?’ It is shocking,” said O’Neill.
“The pressure he is under right now is entirely unwarranted for the success that Celtic have had and the part he has played in that.
“Anyone can head onto social media and stick up a poll. I can have 25 people all agree with me and the percentages would look great, they’d look fantastic but is some of the vitriol that has been put in his direction really reflective of the majority?
“One of the strangest sights I have seen was at Celtic Park on the opening day of the season when they raised the Championship flag to empty stadium. It was quite something. If there were 60,000 fans in there I am fairly certain that there would be a fair bit of support put in the way of Neil Lennon. And rightly so.
“Management can be a lonely place and it even can be a lonely place when you are winning games and on top of it all. In terms of pressure, it can be tough to come out of that but he has chosen through lots of moments of adversity in his career that he has the character to withstand that.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here