Lennon making plans for change

12 April 2010 17:42
eil Lennon has confirmed he has already handed the Celtic board a list of players he wants out of the club at the end of the season.[LNB] Caretaker manager Lennon refused to reveal the identities of those he has recommended to major shareholder Dermot Desmond and chief executive Peter Lawwell.[LNB]But if the former Parkhead captain's behaviour during Saturday's shock Active Nation Scottish Cup semi-final defeat is anything to go by, Landry N'Guemo, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Georgios Samaras may well feature on that list.[LNB]N'Guemo was hauled of before half-time at Hampden, while Lennon singled out forwards Fortune and Samaras for criticism in what was a scathing post-match interview.[LNB]Asked if he had made his recommendation to the board, Lennon said: "Yes - but I'm not going to tell you who."[LNB]Saturday's defeat, widely regarded as one of the worst in Celtic's 123-year history, hurt Lennon's hopes of landing the manager's job on a permanent basis.[LNB]But the Northern Irishman appeared cautiously optimistic the result had not been the death knell for him, saying: "I'll be judged over the next five or six games and we'll assess it in the summer and speak to the powers that be."[LNB]He added: "I've spoken to Peter and I've spoken to Dermot.[LNB]"They're private conversations and not they're for the public consumption just yet."[LNB]Lennon did acknowledge the board "might" ultimately judge him on the one performance and that supporters may feel the same.[LNB]"I can understand the fans at the minute thinking, 'He's nowhere near ready for it, hasn't got the experience for it'," said the 38-year-old, who reiterated his desire to succeed Tony Mowbray.[LNB]Some fans made their feelings known by descending on Parkhead after Saturday's defeat to confront the squad as they arrived back from Hampden.[LNB]Lennon expects similar hostility when Celtic host Motherwell in the SPL on Tuesday.[LNB]"I think that's pretty obvious," said Lennon ahead of his fourth game in charge.[LNB]"I think it'll be a difficult night for the players, basically the same as it was for my first game against Kilmarnock on the back of the St Mirren performance.[LNB]"They showed a lot of character that day, so they'll have to do the same again."[LNB]Lennon acknowledged Celtic were lacking leaders but he does not believe they are alone in this respect.[LNB]"They're a dying breed, I think, not just in Scotland," he said.[LNB]"Maybe it's the culture of football these days.[LNB]"There's something missing at a younger level.[LNB]"I like the kids who just want to play football. They fall over, cut their hands on the tarmac, get up.[LNB]"They don't run home and get treated; they just wipe it on the knee and want to play again."[LNB]Some supporters may choose to stay away tomorrow in protest and, as a lifelong Hoops fan, Lennon would not blame them.[LNB]"Not at all," he said.[LNB]"We'd be grateful for any support that we do get tomorrow night."[LNB]Lennon has stuck with the same outfield players for all three of his games in charge so far and while changes appear certain tomorrow, Lennon believes a wholesale cull would be counter-productive.[LNB]"We need to win games between now and the end of the season and I can't be just making panicky changes just on the premise of one game," he said.[LNB]"What I want to do is finish second, put any kind of pressure on Rangers.[LNB]"Ultimately, we have to qualify for the Champions League."[LNB]Celtic's players have been quick absolve Lennon of any responsibility for Saturday's defeat but the man himself said: "I'm as culpable as anyone for the performance.[LNB]"I can't put my finger on why because, in the three previous games, they showed they had wee bit about them."[LNB]The result has also seen the club's board come under fire but Lennon said: "The performance was nothing to do with the board, nothing to do with Tony Mowbray, because he's not here.[LNB]"(It is) me and the players and my staff."

Source: Team_Talk