Walker ‘disgusted’ by anti-lennon protests
Ex-celtic striker says embattled Parkhead chief deserves better
ANDY Walker believes it is only a matter of time before Neil Lennon is axed as Celtic manager, but insists there is no place in society for the “disgusting” scenes of chaos outside Parkhead on Sunday night following the Hoops’ Betfred Cup exit.
After the Scottish champions’ 2-0 loss to Ross County — their first domestic cup defeat in 36 — hundreds gathered outside the stadium to vent their fury and a large number of police officers formed a human shield as the players exited in convoy.
The Parkhead club said in a later statement that some players were left “shaken” after being targeted by missiles, while police said two of their officers had been injured
Footage showed some fans kicking down and throwing barriers while manager Lennon could hear fans calling for his removal as he walked into the postmatch media conference.
After two wins in 10, there is now huge doubt over his future despite the former Celtic captain insisting on Friday that he had the backing of major shareholder Dermot Desmond and chief executive Peter Lawwell.
Former Hoops striker Walker, who had two spells at Celtic, was disgusted about what took place outside Parkhead and insisted Lennon, who has won four trophies out of four since taking over from Brendan Rodgers in February 2019, deserves better.
He stated: “I thought they were shocking. I thought it was disgusting and I’ve got to say I don’t recognise those people as Celtic supporters.
“This is a team that has won the last 11 domestic trophies and they’re being chased away from their own ground.
“These alleged Celtic supporters were attacking the police. They were throwing missiles and for some of the players to be under attack like that or some of the members of the media to be under attack like that, I don’t recognise them as Celtic supporters.
“I totally accept there’s a new breed of Celtic supporter at the moment.
“All they have known over the last decade is trophy after trophy.
“And they’re very vocal, they’re very political, they’re very angry at the moment.
“I can understand any reasonable person being angry at Celtic’s recent results, but this was beyond the pale and Neil Lennon doesn’t deserve that.
“I don’t think he’ll survive as a Celtic manager but Neil Lennon has been demonised by far too many supporters, Scottish football supporters. over the last number of years.
“He’s been demonised by fans of other clubs and I’m utterly amazed to see people congregating outside Celtic Park and using the type of language that they used towards him on Sunday.”
Ex-celtic manager Gordon Strachan is the early favourite to replace Lennon with the bookmakers, while Roy Keane’s name also features heavily.
Former Rangers favourite Charlie Adam, now at Dundee, believes Celtic should aim higher and aim to bring Mauricio Pochettino to Glasgow.
He has drawn a parallel with Brendan Rodgers joining the Celts after leaving Liverpool.
Argentinian Pochettino, who guided Tottenham to the Champions League final 18 months ago, is a free agent after being let go by Spurs last season.
“Dermot Desmond can pull anything out the rabbit,” admits Adam.
“He’s got enough money. Could Pochettino be the one? Could he throw Pochettino in the mix?
“Because he’s got no job. Come in, rebuild your career again and see what happens.
“What’s the difference with that and Brendan Rodgers coming to Celtic?”
Pochettino has been continually linked with a move into the manager’s chair at Manchester United in recent months with many believing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time at the Red Devils is up .
hile namesw have been bandied about to replace Lennon, the Lurgan man is still hopeful he can remain in charge at Celtic.
Lennon said after a fourth consecutive home defeat: “I’ve been here long enough to know that for some reason we are lacking that bit of oomph.
“You know what, it’s not just this one — for the majority of the season we haven’t played the football we are capable of.
“I hope I’m here to turn things around because that’s what I want to do as quickly as possible. But obviously the results don’t help those chances.”
Ryan Christie’s press conference was cut short as Celtic officials rushed to get him and his team-mates out of the stadium as a police helicopter circled over the protesters.
Before he was ushered away, Christie said: “I think the most important thing that everybody needs to know is that we still care.
“When you go on a run like this, people automatically say ‘they don’t care for the club’ or ‘they’re not trying their best’, whereas every single person out on that pitch was absolutely desperate to get a result to put things right.
“That’s why it is so frustrating when people do say that we’re not caring or we’re not trying our best.
“Nobody would be at this club or would have done so well in their professional career if they didn’t have that attitude going into every single game.
“But it’s hard, everyone is hurting. We hurt as much as them.
“It must be horrendous for them sitting at home watching us, the team they love to see win every week.”
He added: “It’s been near perfection over the last however many years, so when a run like this comes along it is a real shock to the system.”