Neil won’t be quitting
FROM BACK PAGE turn up for training yesterday and passed duties on to Parker.
But the Easter Road assistant claimed the Northern Irishman simply slept in and was feeling the effects of a virus.
And Parker believes he will stay on as gaffer despite branding the players “amateur” and “unprofessional” after the 2-1 defeat at Tynecastle.
When asked if Lennon was considering his future, Parker said: “No, I know he’s not. That’s him all over – he does that.
“We’d just lost to Hearts and he was raging. I’m used to this kind of thing.
“He says what he says after the game – whether he’s right or wrong.
“I remember the same situation last year.
“He said the same thing to the players then came in the next day, called a meeting and apologised.
“He’ll be in (today), he’ll pick a team and get ready for Sunday’s game.
“Neil is OK. He’s had flu for the past couple of weeks or so.
“He is at home, his wife woke him up – and he fell back asleep. That’s the true story – honestly. I don’t know if you’ve seen him over the last couple of weeks, he has been coughing his guts up. So why not take a rest?
“I was always taking first team training on Friday.”
After the derby, Lennon also claimed finishing fourth this season would be “unacceptable”.
But Hibs need just a point against Rangers tomorrow to surpass their highest top-flight tally of 66 from season 2000/01.
Parker said: “We’re disappointed because we could have been second and we lost to our rivals.
“But it has been a great season. It’s fantastic and we are one point away from the most points ever.
“We are already planning for next season.
“We want to get Sunday out of the way. Then we will go from there.”