Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Lennon set for Parkhead
NEIL Lennon admits he plans to soak up his Celtic Park return — but reckons it will mean nothing if his Hibernian side become the Hoops’ latest victims.
The former Parkhead captain and manager will make his first visit to his old stomping ground with an away team tomorrow.
Having helped add 11 honours to the Glasgow giants’ trophy collection as a player and another five as boss, he is certain to be afforded the warmest of welcomes.
And the Northern Irishman is already looking forward to walking out to what is bound to be a ear-splitting ovation.
But Lennon knows the niceties will stop the second the whistle goes for kick-off and, similarly, he expects his team to hold nothing back against Brendan Rodgers’ men.
“It’s going to be a mixture of emotions,” he said. “It will be the first time I’ve ever been at Celtic Park in the opposition changing room or dug-out, so that will be a bit strange.
“It will be good to see a lot of people I haven’t seen, old friends, but, as for the game, it’s going to be a very difficult afternoon.
“I’m expecting the reception I’ll get will be warm — well I hope it will be anyway. You all know it’s a club that has been very close to my heart for a significant period of my life.
“But I’m going there to do my job as best I can and to do what’s best for Hibs. It’s not about me.
“It will be good to go back and for me personally it will be special, but for the team it’s just another game.
“If we get beat, the reception I’ll get will mean nothing. I still have to go home and kick the cat and analyse what went wrong.”