The ghost of Xmas blast
Lenny’s troops won’t need Elf insurance now gaffer is sorry for his Dons rout rant
NEIL LENNON will come face to face with his players for the first time today after slaughtering them at Aberdeen – and will tell them he was bang out of order.
The green and white Grinch spared no one when Hibs were trounced 4-1 at Pittodrie last weekend, just days after putting up sterling performances against Celtic and Rangers.
Now the big softie has gone all Saint Nick and admitted he has been left red in the face after comparing his team to the Blue Brazil.
However, Hearts fans who dare mistake his kindness for weakness ahead of next week’s derby have been warned Hibs will be up for the challenge again after a Jambo told his club’s agm at Tynecastle he’s fed up seeing his side bullied by their arch rivals.
Lennon was raging after Hibs fell nine points behind in the race for second place as Aberdeen kept on the trail of leaders Celtic following their shock defeat at Hearts on Sunday.
After the Dons debacle Lennon said: “Cowdenbeath would have beaten us with the attitude we showed. Aberdeen were hungrier and superior in every department.
“We were abject and weak both physically and mentally. Aberdeen walked right through us – and that’s a mental issue not a physical one.
“We played against Celtic and Rangers and there was no sign of that weakness. This time we didn’t turn up.”
However, his mood had altered yesterday as he stood in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and thousands of shoppers passed by below on their hunt for Christmas presents.
Lennon was in his adopted city to publicise his forthcoming ‘Legends of Football’ event with former team-mate Chris Sutton on January 11, promoted by former Scotland star Jim McCalliog.
Lennon said: “I’m very happy with 2017 so far. We’ve been promoted to the Premiership and we’re fourth in the league. It has been a very good year and there is more to come from this team.
“Our activity in the January transfer window will help determine that too but I’m absolutely delighted with how it has gone so far, better than I expected.
“You get to the point you maybe set your sights too high and we were brought down to earth with a bump at Aberdeen on Saturday.
“On reflection, I was too hard on the players when you consider how much they put into the game on Wednesday against Rangers.
“They then travelled to Aberdeen on the Friday for a Saturday lunch-time kick off. They looked really leggy which was maybe a reaction to three tough games in six days.
“Maybe I need to take a step back from that and not be so harsh – and there hasn’t been a Christmas card from Cowdenbeath either.
“I’ve not seen my players since the game but I will in the morning.
“I thought I would give them a few days away from me and vice versa. Sometimes that can work well as we have another three games in a week and I want them back at it. “The players were outstanding in the two games against Celtic and Rangers and then there was a flatness against Aberdeen who played very well.
“All you’re looking for is a reaction. I’m sure I’ll get one. Aberdeen was a reality check. That can be good for a team.”
Hibs entertain Ross County this weekend before travelling across the capital for the derby, keen to build on their 1-0 win over the Jambos at Easter Road earlier in the season.
At the Tynecastle agm a Hearts shareholder asked Craig Levein when the team would “stop being bullied by Hibs in derby matches”.
The Easter Road side have not lost any of the last eight meetings between the clubs since August 2014 and Levein said: “Nobody has sat in that stand feeling sick more than me. We’ve been
I was too hard when you consider how much we put into the Rangers game NEIL LENNON
poor in derby matches in the last couple of years and we will be ready for the next one. I can’t guarantee we’ll win but we won’t be bullied, that’s for sure.”
Lennon said: “That’s the Hearts take on it but we don’t go out to take people off the pitch. Actually, it was role reversal in the last game when we won 1-0 and there were more than 20 fouls against us in the game.
“I’m sure a team fronted by Craig Levein for a derby will have plenty of physicality and aggression. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, I’ve got a game against Ross County to think about first.”
Hearts will be buoyed by their 4-0 thumping of Celtic, the champions’ first defeat in 70 domestic matches stretching back 18 months but their former boss Lennon reckons it’s just a wobble from Brendan Rodgers’ side, not the early signs of a collapse.
He said: “It was always going to happen at some stage. They’re human beings and we’ll probably never see 70 games unbeaten in my lifetime.
“Celtic have set a really high standard for such a long time and they’re probably just physically and mentally tired. You’ve got to give credit to Hearts as well. They’re playing with a lot of confidence and they also performed with great enthusiasm and energy.
“For the first time in a long time Celtic didn’t have the answers and it’ll be interesting to see their reaction.
“I still expect them to win the title. I know Aberdeen have found their form again but Celtic will win the league. They are still the best team in the country by a considerable distance.”
Lennon’s pal Tommy Wright has claimed St Johnstone are among seven sides playing for one place in the top six because the top five are certain to go to the Old Firm, the Edinburgh duo and the Dons.
But the Hibees boss said: “That’s just Tommy under playing his own team. You’ve got the top three – the rest are fighting for the other spots.”
● Lennon will be appearing on stage at the Royal Concert Hall along with Chris Sutton Thursday, January 11 2018. For more info and tickets visit
https://legendsof-football.com.