Source: Team_Talk
Lennon hits back at Nicholas
eil Lennon has aimed a stinging rebuke at Charlie Nicholas after the former Celtic star launched an outspoken attack on the club's hierarchy.[LNB] Nicholas has blamed major shareholder Dermot Desmond, chief executive Peter Lawwell and chairman John Reid for what he claims is the worst squad he has ever seen at Parkhead.[LNB]Desmond came in for the worst criticism, with Nicholas accusing him of treating Celtic like "a toy" and failing to invest properly in the playing staff.[LNB]Caretaker manager Lennon has a close relationship with billionaire benefactor Desmond and reacted angrily to Nicholas' outburst.[LNB]"I've been here 10 years, 10 years, right; I've never seen Charlie Nicholas walk in through the door," he said.[LNB]"So what Charlie knows about this club, I do not know.[LNB]"If he's criticising Dermot, about Dermot's input into this club then he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.[LNB]"And I'm really annoyed that I have to give somebody like Charlie - who does nothing but bang away at Scottish football, bang away at Celtic - any press time at all. It irks me."[LNB]Celtic's supporters have also vented their anger at the board during what is set to be one of the most miserable seasons in the club's recent history.[LNB]But former Hoops captain Lennon, who stepped up from his role as reserve-team coach following Tony Mowbray's sacking last month, insisted the Parkhead powerbrokers could hardly have done more.[LNB]"The board have been very supportive to any of the managers that I've been associated with," he said.[LNB]Lennon's players endured most of the fans' wrath in the wake of Saturday's shock Active Nation Scottish Cup defeat to Ross County and Celtic Park was less than a third full for Tuesday night's Clydesdale Bank Premier League win against Motherwell.[LNB]Lennon, whose side host Hibernian tomorrow, believes the key to getting stay-away supporters back through the turnstiles is simple.[LNB]"You can only do that by putting on performances on the pitch," he said.[LNB]"Getting results and entertaining the people, obviously word spreads quickly.[LNB]"The game was live (on television) the other day; it'll be live tomorrow.[LNB]"People who stay away will probably watch it on the TV and it's up to the players.[LNB]"They're the only ones at the moment who can convince the fans to come back.[LNB]"In the long term, it'll be down to what happens in the summer."[LNB]Failure to win tomorrow would give Rangers the chance to wrap up the SPL title with four games to spare.[LNB]Lennon, who won five league championships while a player at Parkhead, said: "I said to the players, 'Make them sweat as long as we can'.[LNB]"Because I've been in that position on the flip side of it, and you do get a wee bit anxious and you do get a wee bit agitated.[LNB]"People might say it's a foregone conclusion but you've got to keep winning the games and keep making them go out and win it."[LNB]Dundee United, who are seven points behind second-placed Celtic, will also be looking for Lennon's men to slip up tomorrow ahead of their trip to Motherwell on Sunday.[LNB]"I think it's important tomorrow to win the game, because we haven't won four (league) games in a row all season," Lennon said.[LNB]"It's vitally important, I think, psychologically.[LNB]"Dundee United the following week is a huge game for us in terms of how we move forward."[LNB]Meanwhile, Lennon backed Steven Davis or David Weir to win the PFA Scotland Player of the Year prize.[LNB]Rangers dominated the nominations yesterday, with Celtic also notable from their absence in any category.[LNB]Lennon said: "It's a sad indictment on the performances this season."[LNB]
