Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OLI WON’T BE A NTCHAMMER
St Johnstone 0 Celtic 3
NEIL LENNON last night insisted Olivier Ntcham and Craig Gordon are going nowhere.
The Celtic manager made it crystal clear the duo won’t be leaving before tomorrow’s transfer window deadline.
Ntcham had been the subject of French media links to West Ham prior to last night’s clash against St Johnstone but he showed no signs of being affected as the midfield ace responded in sparkling fashion with a superb headed opener in his team’s thumping win at Mcdiarmid Park.
The Hoops manager was thrilled with the playmaker’s performance in the side’s power-packed Perth show and said: “He’s not going anywhere. The last thing I want is good players going out the door. If anything, I want to get players in, but it’s a tough thing to do.
“I had a joke with Olivier after the game asking him if he was doing that for the cameras, putting himself out there.
“He’s played so well for me and I thought he was terrific. Not just his goal but his all-round game. As far as I’m concerned, he’s not going anywhere.”
Gordon is desperate for game-time as he eyes the Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 play-offs with Hearts interested in offering a return to Tynecastle.
But Lennon is adamant that, while he’s sympathetic to the keeper’s wishes, the 37-year-old is needed at Parkhead as key back-up to Fraser Forster.
He said: “Craig wants to play, obviously with the Euros in mind. But he’s such an important part of the squad here that we don’t want to let him go.”
Ntcham’s bullet header came after just six minutes and Celtic were three up inside 27 minutes once James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths converted amid a wave of attacks.
Lennon added: “The first half was outstanding, the fluidity of the team and the chances we created, the attitude of the players, and the overall quality of football and pace we played at was breathtaking at times.”