Six in a row is a must for Lennon to save job and a tenth title, insists Hay

FORMER boss Davie Hay insists Celtic and Neil Lennon must end 2020 with a run of six straight domestic victories. Starting with today’s visit of St Johnstone, a packed December will see the champions navigate five league fixtures and a Scottish Cup final against Hearts.

If less i mportance is attached to Thursday’s Europa League visit of Lille, Hay acknowledges that Lennon needs a spectacular resurgence of form to rekindle the club’s bid for a 10th consecutive title and keep himself in job.

A Betfred Cup defeat to Ross County led to a mob gathering outside the stadium calling for the manager to go last Sunday but Lennon was granted a stay of execution.

Hay insists there can be no slip-ups between now and the derby against league-leaders Rangers on January 2.

‘The board were firm,’ said Hay. ‘Even Neil said it wouldn’t have surprised him if they had made a different decision.

‘Ironically, I think the protest made the board’s mind up. Dermot Desmond, to be fair to him, decided he was not going to be dictated to by mob rule.

‘The worst could yet happen. Neil will know that, he has been in the game long enough.

‘Before they play Rangers, they have to win every game.

‘The fact they have a cup final this month, the chance of a quadruple Treble, has been lost a wee bit. So that has to be won but so do each of those other fixtures.

‘They have to win them all. I’m sure the players are aware of that, too.

‘No more talking. It’s about doing. You can’t afford to lose. With every defeat, the hysteria goes up a level.’

In his own storied managerial career, Hay stuck by one basic team-building principle — start with the goalkeeper.

In each of his two spells in charge of Celtic, Lennon has made the signing of Fraser Forster a priority yet the failure to bring the Englishman back to Glasgow for the new season has had a ripple effect throughout the team.

With the club trying to broker a new loan deal for Forster with Southampton, Craig Gordon was allowed to leave and back-up target David Marshall joined Derby.

Forster’s insistence on a permanent deal meant the club instead opted for £5million man Vasilis Barkas, who has failed to impress.

‘Forster is a big miss. He was Neil’s best signing last year, albeit on loan,’ said Hay.

‘He hasn’t been replaced. But what’s in front is not helping the situation.

‘It’s filterwed through the whole team. Confidence is low.

‘Cross balls are a big problem. Teams will be doing their homework and thinking: “Let’s get the ball in there”.’

Last season, the arrival of Christopher Jullien helped strengthen Celtic’s defence alongside Kristoffer Ajer.

A back injury has sidelined the Frenchman for much of this campaign and he endured a torrid time in defeats to Sparta Prague and Ross County.

‘You would have thought Ajer and Jullien being back together would help,’ said Hay.

‘Ajer has been first class at times but the malaise seems to be filtering through no matter who is playing.

‘It’s almost unexplainable. You just have to work on the training ground. I’m sure Neil is doing that but still.’

Some have pin-pointed Lennon’s comments after the Champions League exit to Ferencvaros as a key moment.

The manager claimed that certain players had been eyeing a move away, yet Hay believes the Northern Irisman was just stating the obvious.

‘In hindsight, maybe he’d have spoken differently but players are coming to Celtic on the basis that these moves will happen down the line,’ he added. ‘Some are not doing themselves any favours with how they are playing.

‘That applies to Ajer, as much as it does Odsonne Edouard.’