Source: PA
I may have crossed line - Lennon
Celtic manager Neil Lennon admits he may have gone too far with his touchline behaviour this season.
The Irishman has been criticised for his management style which, when it became too passionate in the defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle earlier in the month, saw him sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson.
Lennon is appealing the automatic two-match dugout ban and the separate excessive misconduct conduct charge brought by the Scottish Football Association following his touchline rant with the fourth official when a penalty claim was turned down.
However, the former Celtic skipper`s stinging criticism of match officials this season is thought to be just one reason why Scotland`s grade one referees voted on Sunday to withdraw their labour next weekend in a move which is threatening 20 fixtures.
Speaking on CLUB TV, a BBC ALBA programme which will be shown on Thursday night, Lennon pleads guilty to sometimes getting too carried away although in mitigation he claims his behaviour is often exaggerated.
He said: "It's a natural instinct and I think sometimes people go over the top about it and exaggerate my behaviour - they only show snippets of me arguing with officials every now and again. It would be folly for me to say that I'm not doing anything wrong because obviously there is a line you can't cross and I may have crossed it once or twice. I think in the main I want that passion to be there not just from me but from the staff and the players as well but in a controlled way."
