BANG OUT OF ORDER
Lenny hits out at SFA chiefs and demands dock date’s moved to free him up for Cup semi-final
NEIL LENNON will demand the SFA postpone his disciplinary hearing to avoid wrecking his Scottish Cup semi-final preparations.
The Hibs boss is due to appear before Hampden
chiefs on April 20, just two days before he takes his team to the National Stadium for the cup clash with Aberdeen.
He’ll be banned from the dugout that day if the SFA disciplinary panel find him guilty of the three charges issued by compliance officer Tony McGlennan for his part in last week’s touchline bust-up with Morton boss Jim Duffy.
Yesterday Lennon welcomed the news that his captain Darren McGregor’s red card from that incident – for an alleged headbutt on Morton’s Kudus Oyenuga – has been downgraded to a yellow on review by referee Nick Walsh.
But Lenny still faces punishment and insists the timing is unfair.
So he will request a later date for his hearing.
Lennon said: “I’m not happy with the date. I don’t understand why it can’t be done now or on Monday or Tuesday.
“I will go and I will defend myself.
“I will look to get it delayed because if it’s on a Thursday before a semi-final and they deem me guilty of something – whatever that is – then I miss the semi-final.
“That’s totally unfair. Bang out of order. Why is it delayed to the 20th?
“The players have been dealt with so why can’t we be dealt with?
“What more do they need to look at?
“That Thursday will be an important day in our preparations. We are playing a team who are in as good form as Celtic at the minute.
“The semi is very important for this club and if I’m not being allowed to do my job for something I feel unjustifiably punished for I will not be happy.
“So I will ring them and ask for a delay.”