LAYOFF JAMES
SAYS NEIL LENNON
Neil Lennon has blasted Celtic fans with short memories and told them to lay off James Forrest.
The Hoops winger was back in top form against St Johnstone in midweek, scoring one and creating another in their 3-0 triumph.
But despite his starring role in their treble Treble years, the 28-year-old came under fire from the stands after sub-par performances in the last two Old Firm fixtures in December.
And Lennon said: “It’s really unfair on a player who’s been unbelievably good for this club for a long time. Folk have short memories. James is entitled to a bad couple of days but I don’t think he gets cut the same slack as others do.”
Neil Lennon has warned Celtic fans with short memories to lay off big-game boss James Forrest.
The winger was back to the peak of his powers against St Johnstone in midweek, a goal and an assist in the Hoops’ 3-0 win that took his tally to an impressive 15 and 18 respectively.
But despite his starring role in their treble Treble years, the 28-year-old came under fire from the stands after rare sub-par performances against Rangers in December.
And that has irked a manager who gave the Scotland wideman his Hoops debut a decade ago and has since had nothing but complete faith in him.
Lennon said: “I’m sorry but it’s really unfair on a player who’s been unbelievably good for this club for such a long time.
“People have short memories. James is entitled to a bad couple of days now and again but I don’t think he gets cut the same slack sometimes as others do.
“Look at his record in games against Rangers – it’s pretty good, the amount of wins, the number of goals and assists he’s had.
“James is a big-game player and, alright, he didn’t have one of his better games in the 2-1 defeat by Rangers after Christmas but we make too big an issue of it at times, we really do.
“I always think home-grown players get criticised a little bit harder for some reason.
“Maybe it has something to do with the fact he’s such a quiet kid.
“There’s been no controversy surrounding him, no social media – he just comes in, does his training, plays his football and goes home again.
“He’s a manager’s dream.
“And I thought he was great against Saints on Wednesday. He was dynamic, his work rate was great, he scored a great goal and his assist for the first goal was magic.
“And I thought he played with real freedom – that’s the James Forrest I love.
“He’s such an important player for us. That’s 15 goals he’s got for the season, which is a great return, and I want him to get at least to 20 between now and the end of the season.
“He’s been outstanding.
“If he doesn’t play as well as that, people moan, but he sets such a high standard.
“And when he doesn’t hit that high standard? He’s played a lot of games, remember, and that has to take a toll.”
Forrest has played an incredible 218 games for club and country in the past three-and-a-half years, a figure that could rise to 240 or beyond by the end of the season.
But Lennon revealed he tried to take advantage of the era before that when he was less integral to the plans of Ronny Deila.
He confessed: “I did enquire about James when I was at Bolton – but I had no chance. The club
weren’t interested in letting him go. And he’s been here 10-11 years as well and hasn’t left.
“Can he be that one-club man for his whole career? I don’t know – but I do know I’m not going to sell him.
“I have no intention of letting him go – that would be James’ decision.
“I just think he’s a magnificent footballer and a magnificent kid. I’ve a great relationship with him and long may it continue.”
Forrest’s foray deep into double figures has been a huge factor in Celtic having the biggest goal difference in European top-flight football this season.
Their +50 figure – 64 goals for and 14 against – pips the next best, RB Salzburg in Austria, by a couple of goals.
And Lennon believes that reflects the culture he’s created.
He said: “I’m delighted with our attacking verve and the intent and purpose with which we play.
“It’s good to see the mindset of the team, the way they want to score goals. Having James back to his best gives us such a lift.
“It pleases me to see Leigh Griffiths score a real good striker’s goal against St Johnstone.
“Odsonne Edouard is a talented player while Moi Elyounoussi, Scott Brown and Callum McGregor have chipped in and Ryan Christie is in double figures.
“There’s a real appetite for goals, which is very important.”
With 11 goals in four games since the winter break, Lennon is delighted at his players’ reaction to the Old Firm loss on December 29. But he doesn’t believe titles are won or lost in the two-game-a-week tumult of January.
He shrugged: “We have to show the right attitude all the time, whether it’s the start of the season, through the winter period or after the split.
“Every game, we must have the right approach and the right motivation.
“Since the end of the winter break, we have been excellent.
“Against St Johnstone, it was an unbelievable performance.
“You could sense from the first five minutes they were on their game, whereas at the weekend you’re thinking: ‘Hmmm…’
“We looked a bit flat in the first half against Ross County but the thing is, teams are allowed to create chances against you! “Our supporters need to understand that sometimes teams will score against us – it’s about our reaction and every time we’ve conceded this season, our reaction has been good.
“They don’t panic, there’s no anxiety, they just get on with it.
“We don’t throw anyone under a bus, we stay together, we get back in the game and go and win it.”