It’s a mistake for fans to think I’ve not got the same fire in my belly that I had before. I have it now more than ever.. especially when my back’s to the wall

SAYS NEIL LENNON

scrutinised to death but I ’m not convinced that’s the way forward.

“It would be a mmistakeistake for pepeopleople to think I’ve not got the same fire in my belly that I had before. I have it more than ever, especia lly when my back ’s against the wall.

“That’s when your management and man-management reallyreally comecomess to the fore. ItIt’s’s about looking after the players at a difficulttime – if you can call it that.

“We’ve lost two games against two very good teams. We haven’t been at our best for a lot of understandable reasons.”

Criticism of Celtic’s Old Firm display was justified and their defending – by Lenennon’snon’s own admissionadmission – wasn’t good enou gh against the Italialiansns on Thursday night.night.

It prompted former team-mate Chris SutSuttonton to state on co-co-comcommentarymentary that theythey’d’d hit “rock bottom” by hhalf-alf-time agaagainst M ilan. But LennonLennon is refusing to give that kind ofhyperbolehyperbole any credence.cred He said: “Listen, we were playing AC Milan, who are top of Serie A. Therewere a lot of aspects to the game where I thought we were better thann Milan, particularly in the second half. “We were strong and had good appetitappetite.te. We had more energy than at thee weekend, our body language was better. “In the second half we were the better team. We just lacked a cutting edge and quality. “We certainly deserved our goal and went all in to try and get something out of the game. To say we’d hit rock bottom, well thatthat is hysteria. I can’t buy into that.thatt. “Chris has a job to do, like allall pundipundits.its. But you don’t have to agree with them.them.”” It ddoesn’toesn’t get any easier forLennonLennon todaytodday whenwhen they visit in-form Aberdeen.

With Rangers ahead in the league,league, his side ccan’tan’t aafford any slip-ups whenw they roll out at PPittodrie against dangerous opponents.

He’s confident that, with key players to come back, Celtic can go on the kind of run they embarked on last seaseason that won them the title. Lennon Lenn said: “Aberdeen will be as totough a test as any for us. But after aft ou r s econd-half performance pe on Thursday we can ca go there w ith a bit of confidence co back.

“We were brilliant last year on those runs. I’ve got a real bebelief in the players that they’re capcapable of doing that again. “WWe’ve lost a game but know withwith a ggame in hand – which will be tough becaubecause it’s Aberdeen – we’ll only bee a pointpoint behindbehind. At ththis stage of the season, that’s nonot h i n g . We ju s t h a v e t o have t u n nel v is i on a nd t r y to play really hard now.”

I don’t take as thing perso badly s nally or as to .. b as I ut it d used mean oesn’

I t don’t care