Houston is delighted to renew a rivalry full of respect
PETER HOUSTON admits there will be no shortage of passion in the dugouts at the Falkirk Stadium this weekend as he renews his touchline rivalry with Neil Lennon.
And he reckons his counterpart’s unwavering will to win is set to make Hibs even more formidable Championship rivals than they were last season.
Lennon and Houston were involved in some heated exchanges when the Northern Irishman was Celtic manager and the Scot in charge at Dundee United.
On one notable occasion, after a 2-0 victory at Tannadice in April 2010, Lennon suggested his team were the only ones trying to play football.
Houston responded by suggesting his opposite number — then still officially a caretaker boss — should ‘come back and talk to me when he’s gone 11 games without defeat and reached the Scottish Cup Final’.
He went on to win that final with United but Lennon also proved his managerial credentials during the following four seasons in charge at Celtic, winning three league titles, two Scottish Cups and taking the club to the group stage and last 16 of the Champions League.
As they prepare to clash again in different colours at the start of the Championship season — and Lennon still reeling from this week’s five-match European ban handed down by UEFA — Houston is adamant that any fall-outs between the fiery pair have been long forgotten.
And the Bairns boss, who subsequently worked under his rival as a scout at Parkhead, insists the desire that lay behind the spats remains the same.
‘Both of us were quite new to management at that time,’ he said. ‘If you remember, I had been an assistant for a long time.
‘But when we did have a run-in — and we can have a laugh about it now — it told you he’s a passionate man, desperate to win football matches.
‘And anybody who knows me knows I’m every bit as passionate. He wanted the best for his team and I want the best for my team.
‘But I’ve got huge respect for him. Anybody who has taken a team like Celtic to the last 16 of the Champions League, with the resources they have, compared to Barcelona and such like, commands respect in my opinion.’
Falkirk pipped Hibs to second spot in the Championship last season and then ended their promotion hopes in dramatic style by winning their play-off semi-final.
With a win apiece and four draws over the course of the campaign, there was very little to choose between the sides.
Houston, who was not short of his run-ins with Lennon’s predecessor Alan Stubbs, believes his players will come up against more difficult opponents now the club are under new management. ‘Neil will add things to that Hibernian squad which will make them harder to beat,’ he said. ‘He’s a passionate man, who is a winner himself, and what every manager tries to do is instil that into the players that work under him. ‘If Hibs can add that, they’ll be a formidable team this season. ‘Neil and (assistant) Garry Parker are experienced, they know the game inside out and they work hard at it. I don’t think it’s helped us in any way that they have appointed a manager as good as Neil Lennon.’ Both sides will be keen to start their season on the front foot with Hibs’ influential midfielder John McGinn (left) desperate there is no repeat of the stuttering start to the last campaign.
The Easter Road side were left playing catch-up after posting two defeats from their opening three league matches, suffering a chastening 2-1 defeat at Dumbarton on the opening day before a 1-0 reverse against Rangers.
‘There was an awful lot going on when we started last season — I had only signed that week and there was a lot of attention on other things,’ said McGinn.
‘I came off the bench against Dumbarton and I remember it was a real dampener.
‘It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season.
‘We had to chase the pack and bounce back from that. If we can turn the tables and get a head start on the rest of the teams early doors, then that could be really important. We want to go to Falkirk and put a marker down with those three points.’
Hibs’ clashes with Falkirk were feisty affairs last term and McGinn added: ‘It will be a really tough game. The manager over there always has them well organised and determined, so we are not going there assuming we will win — we will need to work hard for the victory and really earn it.’