Christophe Berra is back from exile, Peter Haring has enjoyed a run of games, former goalkeeper Craig Gordon is back between the sticks and Scotland international Steven Naismith is leading the line. The spirit of a team eroded under Daniel Stendel has returned. They are three points clear at the top of the Championship with a game in hand, and demonstrated their capabilities by seeing off high-flying Hibernian in an Edinburgh derby semi-final. Instead of managing United in the Premiership, the 40-year-old is at the centre of Hearts' journey back. Neilson on instilling 'winning mentality' Neilson had just secured Dundee United's return to the top flight when he, like Lennon, answered the call of a former club. Relegated to the Championship as a cruel twist of a curtailed 2019-20 season, there is a burning desire inside the walls of Tynecastle to restore the Edinburgh side to the top flight.Ī true mark of what they hope to achieve could be seen in the acquisition of their manager Robbie Neilson in the summer. While Celtic's players and management will be out to prove they've still got it, so too will the club standing in front of them. Nevertheless, delivering another trophy and a huge of piece of history will be a shot in the arm to Lennon and another across the bow of those waiting for that stumble going into a pivotal run culminating with a potentially defining visit to Ibrox on 2 January. Some fans will point to an expectation that Celtic should win at Hampden. Normally such backing is a kiss of death from a board, but there is a calmness emanating from Celtic as a consistent message is delivered amid the howling and hysteria filling social media channels and message boards. On top of their recent upturn, a Rangers defeat midweek at St Mirren and a scare against Motherwell on Saturday providing further uplift to a support drunk on success over a peerless nine years who have suffered a sobering few months.Ĭhief executive Peter Lawwell, the man who stormed the Celtic changing room last year to give Lennon the job, has been unwavering in his support for his man. Does he go back to what he knows, or stick with the vibrant Turnbull and Ismaila Soro? Lennon now has a decision to make, mainly with his captain Scott Brown, who has played a full 90 minutes just three times since losing to Rangers in October, and has not made it off the bench in their past two wins. Victory over Lille in a Europa League dead rubber has offered up a bounty of tangible hope, mainly in the form of David Turnbull, a dynamo in the Celtic midfield who will have fans wondering why it has taken so long for his chance to arrive.Ī hard-fought win over Kilmarnock followed, character and vigour again part of Celtic's developing narrative. Since then, further shoots of encouragement for Lennon. Neil Lennon has not played Scott Brown in Celtic's past two matches A late equaliser to deny St Johnstone a potentially fatal victory at the start of the month was the start of Celtic's recent revival, offering a flicker of hope when a blanket of doom and panic had been tossed across supporters in a joyless run of 11 games with just two wins. That slip looks less likely the further we creep into December. He does not need to look at pictures of fans outside the ground, he can feel them on the back of his neck, preying on a slip up. Yet, their ailing form in the Premiership - they are 16 points behind Rangers with three games in hand - is what adds intense pressure on to Lennon's shoulders. A former captain and the manager with the second-highest win rate in their history, he now stands one game away from a historic quadruple treble. The sorry sight of protests outside Celtic Park is testament to how surreal the situation is Lennon finds himself in. An early Champions League exit, a doomed Europa League campaign, an insipid run of results including a Scottish League Cup exit at the hands of Ross County and fan unrest all leading to statements from the club backing their man. The ballad of Celtic under Lennon this season has been one that has rarely struck the right note with supporters. While that game was the clincher in the Northern Irishman being given the job, another win over Hearts now could well help him prove to his doubters that he is the man to keep hold of it. As Brendan Rodgers sped off for Leicester, the Celtic board turned to one of their own to carry on their imperious reign in Scottish football.Ī treble treble was secured that day at Hampden in a 2-1 victory, a feat worthy of a permanent post being offered in the immediate post-match celebrations. He had only been in the job, one he previously occupied, for three months on a temporary basis when history was made. In the final of May last year, Neil Lennon was Celtic's saviour amid the soapy suds.
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