Lennon laments banishment to the stands

HIBS boss Neil Lennon has admitted he will be unable to do his job properly against Brondby after being confined to the stands.

The Northern Irishman was sent from the dugout during a tempestuous first leg against the Danish side after vociferous complaints regarding Jason Cummings’ wrongly-disallowed equaliser.

It was a decision Lennon described as “pathetic” at the time, nevertheless he will serve an automatic ban in Copenhagen tonight as his side seek to overturn a 1-0 defeat.

“It is a frustrating situation for me. I can’t do my job properly from the stand,” rued the Hibernian boss. “I felt it was a double punishment, we clearly had a good goal disallowed, then I was sent off for protestations which I felt were muted.

“I have good people behind me and we will prepare them as best as we can, but I can’t do my job properly. We’ve drafted in [youth development manager] Eddie May to the dugout alongside my assistant Garry Parker to give us another older head, but we will discuss things and prepare for the situation as best we can.”

Lennon, however, is adamant his side can stun the Danes. “It is a great challenge. Can we turn the tie around? It is well within our capabilities to do that. Even if it had finished 0-0 at Easter Road we would have needed to score so the premise is the same.”