Phil’s page<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
It perhaps confirms what we all feared…Lennon has lost control and respect among the players and , more worryingly, the respect of Desmond, who only gets involved when he feels he has to.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In a way, the manager must feel isolated to an extent. He didn’t choose Gavin Strachan, although he approved the replacement of Damien Duff with the former Peterborough coach, and that has led to a change in the style of play that seems to try to bore the other team to sleep before scoring a late goal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After all, with no fans around the need for entertainment has somewhat diminished.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Strachan, it appears, certainly if one or five ranch hands are to be believed, holds sway over tactics and training, yet even the basics, such as shape and formation, aren’t working.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Even though he wasn’t Lennon;s choice, and long time servant John Kennedy appears to have his nose out of joint, those two are carrying the can for recent results and performances, which may well explain a lack of vitality from the two pitchside.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Is Gavin Strachan punching above his pay grade ?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The players appear to have little faith in what they see as a serious downgrade in the technical and development side of things. The French guys want away, others have tried to get away, and others have injuries which may or may not be caused by the changes at Lennoxtown on the practice pitches.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Then there’s the feeling that the club should not have sent players on international duty, a feeling that was strengthened when Nir Biton told the sun about his experience of Covid 19, not only the physical effects, but maybe just as importantly the feeling of neglect after they had followed protocol to the letter…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI went through some hard days with this virus. It wasn\u2019t easy at all. Before I got the disease I underestimated it, but it was not pleasant.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
This echoes the thoughts of anyone who has been infected and affected.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI had headaches, my muscles ached and I could not stand up. I had to sit.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cYou do not know what you are heading towards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone knows how the disease starts, but not how it ends.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cIf it affected me, a young and athletic guy, I do not know how it affects older people.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cWe see deaths and I need to say to people, watch out. Stay at home and look after your relatives. This is not an easy disease.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cI am still without taste and smell, but I hope it will come back soon and that the hardships are behind me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Young men, especially fit and athletic wealthy young men, can be forgiven for perhaps thinking they are immortal, and immune to the facts of life that affect those of us in the real world.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Biton contracting and suffering from the disease will have given them a short sharp awakening to what life is like right now in the outside world, and it will have frightened them.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They have been kept in a bubble and protected from the worst of it, but it has broken into their closed environment and naturally they looked to the club for protection.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They didn’t get it, and were still playing abroad in clusters of people who perhaps hadnt followed protocol.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The club did not call them back, citing UEFA and FIFA rules, which when peoples well being is at risk, is unacceptable.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They will blame the manager for this, and it’s yet another stick to beat him with as they lose respect and as a result refuse to gove one hundred per cent for the cause.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It’s a mess, and if Lennon has been put on a yellow card, which is likely, he needs to take back control.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He needs to regain complete control of the playing side because if he doesn’t , he might as well call it a day, and that is not what we need at this stage.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The medical side of the club, or the sports science is not up to standard. We’ve seen that with Tierney, and now we’re seeing it with Forrest, who won’t be back for a while yet as he clearly worsened an already dodgy ankle by playing through the pain.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We’re seeing an overall drop in fitness levels as the gradual erosion of customs and practice put in place by Brendan Rodgers are quietly removed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The board have allowed this, Lennon is responsible for it, but when a manager os employed and performs in supermarionation, then it’s not entirely unexpected.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With an ultimatum possibly in place, it all depends on how Lennon responds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If he feels he doesn;t want to do the job any more, he goes with our thanks and best wishes, ahving given a fair chunk of his life to Celtic.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But at one time he would have come out swinging, and thats the Lennon we want to see.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Whatever he decides, that decison has to be made with conviction, and the job of putting the band back together again must start now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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