The Rumble in the Capital

This is war, declares Lennon as he lashes out at rival Levein for playing to the masses and insists his sense of superiority will come back to haunt him

SCOTLAND’S capital city has become well accustomed to fireworks but the verbal volley launched by Neil Lennon yesterday seemed somewhat different.

Aimed at Hearts opposite number Craig Levein, his outburst retained the capacity to fizz and bang.

‘Pandering to the masses’ with ‘a misguided sense of superiority’ to boot. By making comments guaranteed to come back and bite him on the backside. Then ducking the traditional man-to-man method of settling all arguments.

Not big. Not clever. And, according to Lennon at least, not even remotely amusing.

It’s fair to say that Levein’s attempts to laugh off his inflammatory post-derby comments haven’t quite achieved the desired effect.

Unless, of course, the Hearts boss was deliberately trying to further wind up his Hibs counterpart — already more than annoyed by the assertion that ‘natural order’ had been restored.

Levein, who had been in mischievous mood as the Jambos recorded their first derby triumph in ten attempts, made an unconvincing try at modifying his approach yesterday, declaring: ‘Regrets? No, it was a good laugh, wasn’t it? I get on really well with Neil and it’s done now. Come on. That’s just the way it is.’

Asked if he had made contact with Lennon since the derby, the former Scotland head coach said: ‘No I haven’t. But I will do at some point.’

Hold that thought, Craig. And maybe brace yourselves for a face-to-face meeting that, according to Lennon, should have happened immediately after Sunday’s 1-0 Scottish Cup win for the Jambos.

‘To say I was irked would be an understatement,’ declared the Hibs head coach.

‘A laugh? I didn’t find it funny. In my time in Scottish football, I’ve seen a lot of people with a misguided sense of superiority in the game — without actually earning it or achieving anything.

‘I think he was pandering to the masses with the comment. I think it’s derogatory to my club, my players, our supporters and me. And it was very, very poor. In poor taste.

‘Obviously he’s been sitting on that one. We’re all under pressure. We all feel it. We all have our own targets, sentiments and directives to achieve.

‘But I just find it in really poor taste. And it’s pandering.

‘He might have picked it up on a forum — and used it. Comments like that come back to haunt you.

‘Whether it will be the next one, the one after that or the one after that, I’m sure our club will be waiting on him.

‘I’m disappointed. So the gloves are off.’

Lennon could at least smile when someone raised the prospect of a charity boxing match between the pair, noting: ‘As long as he keeps his glasses on…’

But that was the only hint of humour in the countenance of a manager who definitely wasn’t mouthing off just for effect. He’s genuinely fired up — and more than willing to hold a grudge.

Even in the combative arena of Scottish football, a man’s world where fighting talk passes for normal exchanges, this one clearly has the potential to rumble on — and that’s definitely the right word — for some time.

Because it already feels as if this has gone too far to be settled with a handshake. Partly because the first opportunity to settle the issue, the normal — if occasionally awkward — post-match drink between rival coaching staff, was missed.

Former Celtic boss Lennon revealed: ‘You know why he hasn’t spoken to me yet? He didn’t wait.

‘He did his media duties, I was then going to go in for a drink — and was told he’d gone to the boardroom.

‘He didn’t even wait for me to have a drink. Which is his prerogative.

‘But, again, it’s a lack of respect. I don’t know if the other staff were there. I didn’t go in, once I knew he wasn’t there.

‘I didn’t really need to speak to the other coaching staff. It’s both managers who need to speak.

‘It’s an unwritten rule, if you will. Win or lose. So that was very disappointing as well.

‘That (being snubbed) certainly never happened to me after Old Firm games.

‘Sometimes you talk about the game and sometimes you don’t want to talk about the game. The other manager understands that and vice versa.’

Asked if the same unwritten rules applied to post-match comments, and whether there was a line that everyone knew not to cross, Lennon admitted: ‘No, I mean it’s carte blanche I suppose.

‘Sometimes in the heat of the moment after the game, you understand that.

‘But I don’t remember saying anything like that after we’d beaten them twice at Easter Road. Comfortably.

‘It’s their first win in four or five years against us. They should have been grateful and shown a bit of humility.

‘I don’t remember rubbing anyone’s face in it after we won Edinburgh derbies.

‘Comments like that come back to haunt you, eventually. So I’m very disappointed. Very disappointed.’

Lennon takes his Hibs players to Dens Park tonight looking to bounce back from the loss, saying: ‘We’ll talk about Sunday but there’s no reason really for me to be overly critical with the players.

‘Our decision-making in the final third could have been better.

‘They got a bit of luck with the goal, as can happen in any game.

‘But I think the players have been fantastic in the derbies, nine unbeaten, losing for the first time in a long time.

‘So it’s disappointing to be out of the cup and disappointing in the manner of it.

‘We’ve still got a lot to play for and getting a European place will be our sole focus now.’