CHRIS SUTTON
CELTIC LEGEND WRITESEXCLUSIVELYFORYOU EVERY WEEK Lennon but it was a no-win job. His hands were tied. It defies my logic he doesn’t even get an interview, a sniff, a mention, when it comes to decent jobs even at places such as Derby and Nottingham Forest.
Seriously, Forest gave Mark Warburton a job. Mark flipping Warburton, at the same time as overlooking Lennon. That’s an insult.
I know Lennon’s character puts some people off and I also find that unfair. Listen, there are times he goes over the score. For example, gesturing to and engaging with the Hearts supporters at full-time on Wednesday night wasn’t very smart behaviour.
But no one seems to have an issue when Jose Mourinho is losing the plot at decisions, or making sssshhhh gestures to opposing fans.
No one bats an eyelid when Jurgen Klopp is bursting his brain and flying off the handle. He’s made out to be some sort of loveable darling and Lennon is made out to be a devil for doing the same things.
Lennon has an extremely competitive edge and rubs people up the wrong way.
I laughed at him at times when we played together. One time at the Nou Camp we were celebrating, having put Barcelona out of the UEFA Cup with a 0-0 draw in the second leg over there.
At the time Ronaldinho was the world’s best player but we managed to keep him quiet and go through to the quarter-finals.
As we were walking up the tunnel Lenny was in his ear.
Constantly harping and nagging him, saying: “You’re not very good now” and “That wasn’t your best, was it?”
It wasn’t very diplomatic and I was laughing. I thought: “You can’t be saying that to Ronaldinho.” But it’s just the way Lenny is.
Some folk might not like it but he wants to win.
He’ll do anything to win and is not just going to settle back and accept he’s doing a good job with Hibs.
That’s not enough. Good isn’t great. Great isn’t the best.
It’s why I’m sure Wednesday’s speech after Tynecastle was not just some spur-of-the-moment comment.
Like I said, don’t mistake his competitive edge for a lack of clear vision and calculation.
Lennon has done brilliantly with Hibs. His recruitment has been outstanding and he has got his team playing with some real style.
They are young, they are vibrant and they are competitive, most of the time. Everyone likes watching them.
But they have hit a glass ceiling. Lennon needs to look at the situation and figure out if he can take them any further.
As a manager with the right tools, he can. But without them, he’s pushing custard up a hill.
John McGinn could be sold in the summer. Dylan McGeouch hasn’t been re-signed yet and could leave. Strikers Jamie Maclaren and