Dylan and the magic turnabout
No thoughts of quitting now for Lenny after board meeting as he tries to keep midfield ace McGeouch
NEIL LENNON insists he’s been re-energised in his bid to build on last season’s remarkable season after a crunch meeting with the Hibs board.
The Easter Road gaffer dropped a bombshell earlier this month when he cast doubt over his future following the blow of a derby defeat to Hearts.
That loss denied Hibs the chance of a second-placed finish in their first season back in the Premiership and he wanted assurances from club chiefs over what cash would be available.
And following a lengthy meeting the Northern Irishman is happy with his budget ahead of the new campaign with Celtic’s Scottish Cup win handing Hibs the financial boost of European football.
Lennon is now charging ahead with plans for the new campaign and revealed he hasn’t given up hope on signing Dylan McGeouch on a new deal after previously being resigned to the midfielder’s exit.
Former Celtic ace McGeouch, currently with Scotland for the friendlies against Peru and Mexico, is wanted by a host of English clubs and Aberdeen reportedly offered to make him their highest-paid player.
Lennon has made a last-ditch attempt to keep him and is working on permanent deals for loanees such as Florian Kamberi, who has also been linked with Sheffield United.
The 46-year-old, who will have Simon Murray back after his Dundee loan spell, said: “We had a good four-hour meeting last Friday on recruitment. There’s a wage for certain positions and players we can go to now that we couldn’t do this time last year and that gives you a lift.
“It might be difficult to improve last year but not impossible and whether we lose players or not – and we’ve lost players before – I don’t think it’s a major rebuilding job.
“The aim is for more of the same next season. If I make a prediction now and we do it then I’m a genius and if not I’m an idiot. “I felt we were good enough to finish second and we nearly were. I haven’t got a squad together so I might be clearer on targets at the start of the season. “I should give more credit to my scouting department who have done a very good job, as they did in January. They’ve been working away all season on getting things ready for the summer. “If we can’t get some deals done with current players then we’ve got a few decent ones lined up. “It’s early days in the process and some of the guys are away for a break but when they come back we hope to get a couple over the line.
“We’re not sure on Dylan. That’s one that could come back. There could be a positive on that because there’s no firm answer on what he’s doing.
“He’s not a done deal anywhere as far as we’re aware. That might change but there’s an inkling of hope because we were under the impression he was done and dusted but that isn’t the feedback we’ve had.
“He was quite emotional after the Rangers game and it looked like his last game but you just never know. We’re still in there fighting and have a small chink of light.
“We’re still in negotiations with Kamberi. We’ve held positive talks with him and his representative. We have an option that expires on June 14 but I’m pretty sure we’ll have a response before then.
“The talks are still ongoing and it’s the same with Jamie Maclaren and Scott Allan. There’s no update. It’s still early days and they’re all difficult to do in their own individual ways.
“I’m certainly not writing any of them off but there’s a bit of work to do which we always assumed would happen. We’ve had good success after two years and it’s always difficult to rip it up and start again.
“I’m quite relaxed about it all. There’s going to be a bit of work and the frustrating thing is a few are up in the air but we have plenty of options and players to look at.”
Lennon will serve the first of a four-match UEFA ban when Hibs kick off in the Europa League qualifiers following “acts of violence against the referee” in the 1-0 home defeat to Brondby two years ago.
He had to watch from the stand as they overturned that deficit in the return leg only to lose in a shootout.
He’s also been charged by the SFA following his aeroplane celebration during the epic 5-5 draw against Rangers on a dramatic final day.
After Celtic’s win over Motherwell meant fourth place qualified for Europe, he said: “It was out of our hands until we knew the result of the Scottish Cup Final but we deserved it.
“We’ve earned the right to have a crack at it and it’s an exciting aspect of the season ahead. It gets the fans’ juices going already.
“We got knocked out by Brondby two seasons ago but it was very early days in my reign and I felt if that tie was two or three weeks later we could have come through it.
“I felt after that we had a decent team. To win in Brondby and lose on penalty kicks was a respectable result.
“It’s difficult because you’re back so early and could get a team who are midway through the season – and I’ve had that with Celtic – but we’re in it to try to qualify.
“But it’s a financial boost for the club. I’ll just have to deal with the fact I’m serving a UEFA ban – my staff are well used to it by now!
“I expected the SFA charge after the last game of the season because them’s the rules. It was a spontaneous moment, a bit of fun. The last kick of a very good season so nobody should look too much into it. I moved so quickly I pulled my hamstring!”
Lennon was speaking at the SPFL Trust’s Annual Golf Day at The Carrick. All proceeds go towards mental health first aid training in Scottish football in partnership with the Chris Mitchell Foundation. Visit www.spfltrust.org.uk