MX23RW : Thursday, May 16 10:57:51| >> :120:8801:8801:

Neil Lennon insists he has "full support" of Celtic chiefs

The Hoops have won just two of their last 11 games.

Under pressure Celtic boss Neil Lennon revealed he has the "full support" of
chief executive Peter Lawwell and major shareholder Dermot Desmond.

The Hoops crashed out of the Europa League with two Group H games remaining on Thursday night after their second 4-1 defeat by Sparta Prague this month left them with one point and still bottom of the section.

With two wins in nine in all competitions, the Hoops are 11 points behind Rangers at the top of the Premiership – albeit with two games in hand – and a section of the Parkhead support, fearful that the chance to win an unprecedented 10 successive titles is slipping away, have made it clear they want their manager to go.

Ahead of the Betfred Cup last-16 tie against Ross County at Parkhead on Sunday,  where Celtic will attempt to win their 36th successive domestic cup tie, Lennon said: "I have had a long chat with Peter and Dermot Desmond today, we are totally united, totally together and totally determined that we will make it into a good season.

"I speak to Dermot maybe twice a week so I spoke to the two of them today on a Zoom all this morning and we are trying to find solutions to what we can do better, not just for the first team but all around the club, and it was a very productive conversation and I have their full support."

The former Celtic captain, in his second spell as boss of the club, is "hugely" encouraged by the support of the club's powerbrokers.

However, Lennon was not surprised by their stance "because of the relationship I have had with them as a player and a manager, in my first spell and certainly in my second spell."

The Northern Irishman added: "I am delighted and it gives me a lot of confidence and comfort going through a difficult period which all managers do, which all teams do, which all players do.

"We are not happy with the way things have gone over recent weeks and I am head of the football department and face of the club and Peter is the chief executive and Dermot is the main shareholder.

"They have been with me since day one, through the good times and what would be perceived as a bad time at the minute and they feel the need to offer
suggestions, ideas and vice versa from me.

"They are not happy about things, no question. They are honest about things as well but they believe in me and I believe in them and I believe in the process.

"Again, because it's such a high profile year, a high-profile club, the criticism and the intensity and scrutiny is magnified and again, I don't think there is a million things wrong with the team.

"I didn't think there was a million things wrong last night but we are just going through one of those runs where everything is going in and nothing is going in at the other end for us.

"We are very determined to turn things around. I don't think it will take that much.

"The players, in some aspects of the game, are lacking a bit of confidence, but it is nothing terminal here."

ID:424056: cacheID:424056:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4445:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Celtic manager Neil Lennon pictured on November 5, 2020
Read Next:
Neil Lennon insists he can turn Celtic form around
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!