Opponents line up for Operation Lennon

Which failed manager will be next to offer advice to Neil Lennon?

For whatever reason a number of failed managers seem to be falling out of the woodwork to offer advice to the Celtic boss on how he should be doing his job.

Like anyone else they are perfectly entitled to their opinion but taking on board the helpful hints from two men who won a total of 25 out of 101 matches during their combined managerial careers is unlikely.

A year ago Mark Hateley and Richard Gough were criticising Rangers Champions League embarrassments with the good old line of ‘it would never have happened in my day’.

When Walter Smith pointed out his abysmal Champions League record of 3 wins in 18 games with Hateley and Gough in the team the twin critics fell silent.

Now, despite Rangers losing 3-0 in consecutive midweeks, the arch dynamic duo are back in tandem with remarkably similar thoughts.

Getting the message out that Lennon ought to calm down seems popular whilst anyone questioning the decisions of referees is clearly one step away from being an anarchist according to the dynamic duo.

Gough and Hately also make the point that they like Lennon.

In Friday’s Daily Record Hateley felt: “Neil’s antics at Tynecastle the other night were way over the top. He lost the plot and not for the first time this season he let himself and his club down.

“I like Neil and hope he has the sense to calm down and realise he needs to change direction. If not then I fear the next stop for the lot of us will be anarchy.”

In today’s News of the World Gough suggests: “The time has come for Peter Lawwell to tell Neil Lennon to calm down.

“It’s time Neil’s chairman John Reid or chief executive Lawwell pulled him aside and said, ‘Neil, manage the football club, set out the tactics, and let us fight the SFA’.

Spookily Gough adds: “This isn’t personal. I know Neil. I like him. He lives not far from my flat in Glasgow. He’s an intelligent guy.

“Willie Collum handled the Old Firm game sensibly. I had Craig Thomson when I was in charge at Livingston. He had to abandon the game between Italy and Serbia and he’s probably the best ref around at present.

“You don’t get European Championship and Champions League games the way he does if you’re a poor ref.”

The usual topics are predictably covered by both experts, referees are honest and fair, these things even out over the season although Gough went as far as to claim that: “If a couple of decisions have gone against Celtic, they’ll get that back tenfold over the season.”

Last season must have been a bit of a blur for the former Rangers skipper. Similarly he may not be aware that one of Scotland’s top referees recently overturned a penalty to Celtic, lied to Lennon after the match with the Head of Referees Hugh Dallas repeating the lies in the days afterwards.

When they managed Hull City and Livingston I can imagine that Hateley and Gough got pretty fed up by local experts telling them how to do their job properly and where they were going wrong.

Single minded Lennon won’t be paying attention to their opinions, having a quiet word with Martin O’Neill, John Robertson and a few select others will be more his style.

Putting a team out on the park that can win games whilst penalties are routinely denied as opponents get penalties with the referees back to the play is a tall order.

In the current climate no one is more aware than Neil Lennon of what is required to bring the SPL title back to Celtic.

Whether he does that or not will be down to his own methods- not the friendly advice of others who’ve failed to hold down a job in management.

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