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. 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.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.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.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?"If you give me a two-goal lead tomorrow night I would be delighted with that and we could take things from there."But it is all hypothetical really."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."The Irishman admitted the Utrecht defeat needs expunging from his memory and has reminded his players there can be no slip-ups this season."It rankles with me, yes," he said."Obviously there is an opportunity to rectify that."We will make the players aware that European football is very important to the club."It is one of the reasons why the players come here, not just to challenge for domestic honours but to play in Europe."But Sion are a very good side and it is going to be difficult over the two games."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."We don't want that to happen again."Kelvin Wilson, who will play in his first European tie, knows the importance of making up for last season.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."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."This is my first European tie at Celtic Park and I am looking forward to it."

Source: Team_Talk