Lennon lambasts Caixinha
● Hibs boss claims Rangers counterpart failed to show any respect after defeat
Hibsmanagerneillennonhas hit out at Ibrox counterpart Pedro Caixinha, accusing the Rangers boss of showing him no respect and claiming that the Portuguese blanked him after last weekend’s tempestuous head-to-head in Glasgow.
The match, which the Premiership newcomers won 3-2, was a fiery affair. Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack was red carded and many home supporters were aggrieved that Hibs’ Anthony Stokes was not. But the real ire was reserved for former Celtic manager Lennon, with several complaints made to the police following his gestures and celebrations in the technical area.
The police have since said there will be no action taken. But, in a statement released by fans’ group and Rangers second largest shareholder, Club 1872, Lennon was accused of inciting trouble,
He laughed that off but was less good natured about the post-match behaviour of Caixinha.
The Rangers manager had suggested that, as an outsider, he is treated unfairly. He criticised the referee’s performance and made it clear he was unhappy with Lennon’s actions, adding that he had come to Scotland to do a job and deserved respect.
Lennon insisted he was baffled by those comments and was equally unimpressed by Caixinha’s post-match huff.
Lennon said: “I didn’t see Pedro’s comments. You have to explain to me what he meant by it because, during the game, I think I remonstrated once with the fourth official about a decision. Once. Whereas there were other things going on in their technical area. Bottles being kicked, blah-blah-blah, shouting and screaming at the fourth official.
“I’ve nothing to reproach myself for in how I handled the situation on Saturday. I don’t know where he’s coming from, within the confines of the game.
“I can’t comment on what he’s thinking. But I paid him due respect before the game. I said he came across as a gentleman, I paid Ibrox the compliment of saying it was a great amphitheatre, I even complimented his team’s performance after the game. So, other than kiss his feet, how much more respect does he want me to give him?
“That respect should have been afforded to me when we went into his office afterwards. But it clearly wasn’t. You know, respect is a two-way thing. I went into the office after the game. There was no conversation with myself or my backroom team. That was odd, very odd. I’ve never experienced that before.
“Only JJ [Jonatan Johansson] and the young fitness coach who has there, made conversation.
“I spoke to Jonatan and the fitness coach spoke to Grant
Murray [Hibs first team coach]. We had no conversation or dialogue with the manager or his backroom team. They spoke in Portuguese. Which I understand a little bit of…”
The Hibs manager refused to elaborate on anything he had understood but said that such obvious acrimony in such a situation was new to him, even after years of being involved in hostile Old Firm matches, where winning and losing managers always got together for a chat after games. But Caixinha flouted the established etiquette, surprising Lennon.
“You don’t want to do it sometimes, sit and have a chat, but you appear out of respect to your counterpart. Whether we’ve had a ding-dong, whether the game has been great, if there have been controversial decisions or we’ve had a rammy during the game, whether you’re in a foul mood afterwards, you do it.
“I’ve been on the wrong side of it, I’ve been on the right side of it.
“I know managers on the other side have felt the same as well. And it can be awkward at times. But there is that unwritten rule.
“You go in and talk about the game, or talk about life in general. You talk about things unrelated to football if you have to.”
Lennon said he was given half a glass of beer but was stunned at the lack of interaction. “There is an unwritten respect between managers no matter what went on before. Sometimes you don’t want to do it but you bite your lip and take it.
“Sometimes you are still emotional and you have to just suck it up when you get beat. There is that respect. If Pedro wants that then he has to give some back.”