Source: Team_Talk
Lennon: Hoops need a foothold
eil Lennon wants Celtic to get a "foothold" against Sion in their Europa League play-off first-leg tie at Parkhead on Thursday night.[LNB] Lennon would gladly accept a 2-0 win over the Swiss side and take his chances at defending it better than his side did in the same competition last season.[LNB]The Celtic boss was handed a tough European lesson in his first full season in charge when his Hoops side - still under construction - were dumped out of the Champions League and Europa League at the qualifying stages by Braga and Utrecht respectively.[LNB]The second exit was all the more painful given that the Parkhead men had taken a two-goal lead to Holland only to lose 4-0 in a second-leg collapse.[LNB]Asked if he would be happy to take the same scoreline to Switzerland next week and set out to shut up shop, he said: "I tried to play defensively in Utrecht last year and look where that got me?[LNB]"If you give me a two-goal lead tomorrow night I would be delighted with that and we could take things from there.[LNB]"But it is all hypothetical really.[LNB]"I want us to play well. We need to get a foothold in the tie and obviously make sure that we maximise the home advantage."[LNB]The Irishman admitted the Utrecht defeat needs expunging from his memory and has reminded his players there can be no slip-ups this season.[LNB]"It rankles with me, yes," he said.[LNB]"Obviously there is an opportunity to rectify that.[LNB]"We will make the players aware that European football is very important to the club.[LNB]"It is one of the reasons why the players come here, not just to challenge for domestic honours but to play in Europe.[LNB]"But Sion are a very good side and it is going to be difficult over the two games.[LNB]"The form we have shown this season augurs well but we were in the same sort of form last season before the Utrecht game and we came up short.[LNB]"We don't want that to happen again."[LNB]Kelvin Wilson, who will play in his first European tie, knows the importance of making up for last season.[LNB]The former Nottingham Forest defender said: "After last year, everybody wants to do well and we are all aware of what is on this game.[LNB]"The gaffer has drilled it home that there can't be a repeat of last year but we are under pressure to win every game.[LNB]"This is my first European tie at Celtic Park and I am looking forward to it."
