Michael Stewart believes that tonight’s 4-1 defeat from Sparta Prague is the end game for Neil Lennon.
After watching his side knocked out of the Europa League with two matches still to be played the Irishman insisted that he is the man to turn around a run that has now extended to just two wins in nine matches. Stewart disagrees.
Tonight’s defeat contained all the characteristics of a team that has lost 21 goals in nine matches and are averaging more than three per game in the Europa League.
As a one-off tonight could be put down to a hard luck story but the reality is that it is just another of many sobering defeats this season.
Listening in to Stewart on Radio Scotland, the Daily Record reports the former Hearts midfielder saying:
Is this the crumbing of an empire? It certainly looks that way. It feels as if that could be the end game there for Neil Lennon.
I don’t see how it turns round from here. For there to be successive 4-1 defeats in Europe and switching between a back three, a back four and changing personnel but nothing is really changing. The messenger is not being listened to now.
Some can say it’s unfortunate and some will say tough luck and that’s the nature of the beast. That’s the industry that we work in but something is not right and something is not working. It’s as if to me that could be the end
There was no sign of Lennon quitting in his post match media conference. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has kept a very low profile this season but there will be an expectation that action is taken from fans whose frustration has boiled over into anger.