Neil Lennon has revealed that he has been making home visits to Celtic players to provide reassurance and counselling.
It seems a bizarre move and questionable legally when Scotland is in Lockdown with people unable to visit family members let along work colleagues.
Lennon’s comments have taken Jekyll and Hide like comments this season, claiming that his players are lazy and wanting away one week then talking up the most laboured of wins over teams like Hamilton or Motherwell.
Last Saturday after losing to St Mirren he accused his players or letting him down in an interview with Radio Scotland, now it seems that he has been popping into their gardens to reassure them that they are wanted and valued by their employer.
Lennon told the Daily Record:
It has been very difficult. I have been to players’ houses – not inside obviously but outside chatting to them and their partners. Just trying to support and encourage them. The difficulties are not exclusive to us, everybody is going through the same thing.
But maybe others don’t have the demands we had coming into such a significant season. The stress around the support has exaggerated that. It’s not just about the football, it’s also about their health and wellbeing.
It’s important for a manager to stay on top of that, particularly in a season as abnormal as this one. It was something I felt was required with the level of abuse, criticism, whatever you want to call it.
They are human beings at the end of the day. They have come up here in good faith. It is not the picture or landscape they would have expected.
Should Celtic put Neil Lennon on gardening leave?
Yes, we need a change, sooner the better
No, he is the man to turn things round
With English not being the first language of Vasilis Barkas and Diego Laxalt it would be logical for Lennon to have an interpreter with him for his home visits.
In November Lennon explained that a lounge area was being created at Lennoxtown to create an area for players to relax in.
