TIERNEY BACKS LENNON TO GUIDE CELTS TO TEN

KIERAN TIERNEY last night backed Neil Lennon to overhaul Rangers and lead Celtic to ten in a row. The Parkhead boss heads into tomorrow’s Old Firm clash 16 points adrift of Steven Gerrard’s side. And the Celtic board have already promised to review the team’s progress early in the New Year. Despite quitting his boyhood idols for Arsenal in a record £25million deal, however, Scotland defender Tierney has backed former boss Lennon to make history. Speaking to BT Sports’ Scottish Football Extra, Tierney said: ‘I think he is the right man. One of my regrets in football is that I only got a few months to work with him, because I loved it. ‘Unfortunately, I was injured for a while. But he was brilliant for me. ‘He made you feel brilliant. Going out to the pitch he made you feel like you can beat anyone. ‘So I think that is exactly what the players need now. ‘They need confidence in themselves, they need confidence in the team — and I think he can do that.’ Victory tomorrow would still leave Scotland’s champions 13 points adrift with three games in hand. But Tierney believes a tenth straight title is still on — and would feel all the sweeter after the fan protests which followed an early exit from Europe and the Betfred Cup. ‘I think it would make it all the better with the position they are in, being a few points behind,’ he added. ‘Imagine doing that and coming back and winning it for the ten? That would be brilliant. ‘Usually in the last two years they’re the ones at the top and they’re the ones getting chased. ‘It’s a new challenge for some of the boys, but there are a lot of people in there who have done that before. ‘They have the experience in there that they need and they have the manager that they need as well — he has been there before. ‘So it is a new challenge for some, but it’s a challenge I’m sure the changing room will be relishing and in recent weeks they’ve been brilliant as well.’