Aiden McGeady, Paul Slane and Si Ferry have been left mystified by the Neil Lennon that they’ve observed in recent Celtic matches.
McGeady was a team-mate and player under the Irishman, Ferry was around the fringes of the first team at the same time while Slane was a bag of nerves in the Reserve squad hoping to make the break through.
Everything about Lennon the manager has been assessed over the last 10 days as Celtic’s results take a turn for the worse with fans angry, puzzled and frustrated as they look on from home.
A common observation has been the subdued way in which Lennon has operated from the dug-out which is in sharp contrast to his first stint in charge from 2010 to 2014.
When he returned to Celtic in February 2019 he was a little more mellow than previously but in recent weeks he has been almost unrecognisable, sitting passively while getting very little out of a squad that has virtually dominated Scottish football for four years.
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PS: Stunt double, maybe it came across as cheeky but I just don’t ever remember Lennon being like that.
SF: He’s usually screaming isn’t he.
PL: He’s a maniac, in a good way, you need to be like that. It’s almost like he’s holding back. You know what, I don’t like.
A McG: But do you not think that he’s being totally different in the dressing room. There’s the way that he is with the cameras.
PS: You look at guys like Klopp that kick every ball from the side. I’m not saying that you need to do that.
SF: That’s him (Lennon)
PS I think that you need that to kick your team on. To be fair I have got a bit of sympathy for Neil Lennon, if any manager goes into a job, for me you should have your own people with you.
Where did the boy (Gavin) Strachan come from? He’s even got a haircut and he still looks untidy.
SF Can I ask you (turning to McGeady) what is a laptop doing on the side of the pitch? You watch it in front of you, what do you need a laptop for.
A McG: You get manager’s that have a notepad and write something down, or a couple of notes. But I don’t know what an I-pad is giving you.
There was a lot of fire about Lennon in a media conference this afternoon but the upcoming matches against Lille and Aberdeen will tell Slane, Ferry, McGeady and others if he has got the squad of 2020 back on course.
