SHAME AGAIN Lennon expects to be on receiving end of abuse at Ibrox
CELTIC manager Neil Lennon believes UEFA’s crackdown on sectarian chanting at Rangers will not stop bigots showering him with racist abuse in today’s first Old Firm meeting of the season at Ibrox.
Lennon insists it is ‘embarrassing’ that European football’s governing body have had to step in twice already this term over discriminatory behaviour by Rangers supporters when the Scottish FA and SPFL have done nothing over the matter.
The Irishman spoke last season about what he believes is a ‘big problem’ in Scottish society and insisted that songs regularly branded sectarian should be regarded as racist — before being subjected to a chant about being a ‘fenian b ***** d’ on returning to Ibrox for a 2-0 defeat in May after taking over at Parkhead.
Asked if he felt the debate swirling around the subject of abusive conduct from Rangers fans would see a change in the way he is treated this afternoon, Lennon replied: ‘No.’ When quizzed on whether he
believes the nature of the fixture will still bring out the bigoted element, his view was clear.
‘Yes. It has always been that way,’ he stated. ‘It was ever thus, so I just can’t imagine that changing overnight, or in three or four days.
‘You don’t want it sanitised completely, but you want to strike a balance of there being a red-hot atmosphere without all the vitriolic nonsense that goes with it.’
Scotland national coach Steve Clarke, then managing Kilmarnock, expressed his dismay over life in the west of Scotland last term after being branded a ‘fenian b ***** d’ during a match at Ibrox and received a full apology from Rangers chairman Dave King, who vowed to root out sectarianism at the club.
However, Lennon points out that King and other leading figures at Ibrox have never done any such thing for him, despite the fact he has often been targeted with the same insult.
‘I think Rangers put a statement out after Steve Clarke got abuse, but there was none forthcoming for me over the years,’ he added. ‘I find that interesting as well.
‘It is embarrassing (that UEFA have to get involved), but, then, sometimes people turn a blind eye to it or go: “Och, it is only him. He can deal with it”. But at the end of the day, we are human beings.’
Clarke stated last season that he could accept abusive terms on their own, but drew the line at being called a ‘fenian b ***** d’ and likened it to living in the Dark Ages. Lennon insists he feels the same way.
‘Yeah, absolutely — because I take offence to the latter,’ he stated. ‘I haven’t got any answers. I’ve been saying this for a while. I said it when I was at Hibs last season, but I am not going down that road again because it’s out of my jurisdiction.’
Lennon is likely to have a number of Old Firm debutants with Christopher Jullien and Boli Bolingoli expected to start and loan signings Moritz Bauer and Mohamed Elyounoussi having been brought in over the past few days.
He admits he will be depending on his seasoned campaigners to help them through the game.
‘We have got good players and guys with a lot of experience of the fixture who can help the others who are making their debuts in it,’ said Lennon. ‘Fans don’t win games, players do — and we have to match up and be far more competitive than we were the last time we were there.
‘People are talking about Rangers improving. No one’s talking about Celtic improving. We’ve scored 40 goals this season already. Our form is sort of getting overlooked a bit and I don’t know why.’