Lennon backs Hinkel in Old Firm spat

eil Lennon has hinted that Nacho Novo has fired up his Celtic players ahead of Tuesday night's Old Firm game at Parkhead. After Rangers wrapped up their second successive Scottish Premier League title win last week the little Spaniard blasted Celtic and former Hoops' manager Tony Mowbray's criticism of Walter Smith.Celtic midfielder Diomansy Kamara said the Hoops would silence Novo and the tension ahead of the match was increased further this morning when Andreas Hinkel claimed Celtic were a better side than Rangers even though they have failed to beat the Ibrox men in three games and are 11 points behind.Lennon refuted the suggestion that the German defender's quotes would motivate Rangers before suggesting that Novo's comments had already done that to his players."I read Andy's quotes and I'm not going to come down hard on him at all," the Hoops interim boss said."What's he said that is going to be motivational for Rangers? That we deserved better over the three Old Firm games? Well, I think that's a fair point, is it not?"It's just as motivational as Nacho Novo talking about our players."He was just talking about the Old Firm games and he felt that we deserved more and I agree with him."I thought the first Old Firm game was pretty even."The talking points were the penalty decisions and we should have had one or two and that would have changed the course of the game."The second game was all us and that was one that got away from us."We got the goal but couldn't shut the door."In the third game, the (Scott Brown) sending-off changed it and they deserved to win."Then asked what he made of what Novo had said, the Irishman replied: "No comment - I will tell you after the game."Asked about Kamara's response to the Ibrox striker he again replied: "No comment."Skipper Scott Brown, though, added to the tension which will surround Novo by saying: "I don't read papers, especially when he is in them."

Source: Team_Talk