Neil Lennon wants a better performance from his players today as they go to Tannadice to face Dundee Utd. Looks like he wasn’t the only one who felt a bit let down last Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were facets of the game last week that didn\u2019t please me,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I\u2019ll tolerate that because of the circumstances of having just won the league so I\u2019m looking for a better and brighter performance tomorrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can understand Dundee United\u2019s priority will be the semi-final next week and they\u2019ll want to avoid injuries to major players because it\u2019s a massive game for them in the context of their season.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019ve not spoken to Jackie and we don\u2019t speak about team selection, but we have our own agenda. We want to win the game and finish the season well.\u201d<\/p>\n
That last bit was an odd thing to say.<\/p>\n
He’s not fooling anybody. If the unthinkable-though extrememly \u00a0unlikely -scenario of Second Rangers lifting the cup at Celtic Park should happen, the players will be the subject of more abuse than any other Celtic players in history. In fact, more than anyone in history full stop. and theres been some bad lads down through time.<\/p>\n
Lennon won’t get off lightly either, and so there is a sneaking suspicion that todays effort will not be quite as full blooded as it perhaps ought to be.<\/p>\n
And frankly, the game may have come a little too soon for one or two of the youngsters Lennon may throw into the mix today<\/p>\n
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The manager confirmed that Charlie Mulgrew, Adam Matthews, Darnell Fisher, James Forrest and Nir Biton are all still out, although Steven Mouyokolo is back training now, and it\u2019s hoped that Mikael Lustig could resume training the week after next.<\/p>\n
This is Steven Mouyokolo;<\/p>\n
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For those of you who may have been struggling to put a face to the name.<\/p>\n
Its a bit unlucky to have three excellent right backs and see them all injured at once, so Danny McGrain might be called into action to help out.<\/p>\n
Look, if he wants a game, he should be given one. Dannys experience means he could cope with anything. And he’s brought his own ball. And a spare.<\/p>\n
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Efe Ambrose will no doubt deputise at full back, which means another possible start for Eoghan O’Connell, and with Liam Henderson already making a name for himself , he too could line up alongside Brown, Johansen and commons in the middle.<\/p>\n
But hang on…<\/p>\n
Theres always Beram Kayal.<\/p>\n
Kayal, who has been told off by the boss for talking to newspapers without clearing it with the club first-not, incidentally, because of what he actually said about clogger Mcculloch and the SPFL, but because he didn’t ask first.<\/p>\n
Lennon said<\/p>\n
“….. he will play between now and the end of the season.”<\/p>\n
Today ?<\/p>\n
Possibly, Lennon does sound like he’s thrown down the gauntlet to the midfielder, a stupid thing to do because the Israeli hurt his back picking it up and is now out for another four months.<\/p>\n
The manager explained why he is still considering Kayal.<\/p>\n
“He was looking more like himself towards the back half of last year, then he had another really bad injury against AC Milan that’s kept him out.<\/p>\n
“He’s found it really hard to get back in, such has been the form of Mulgrew, Johansen, Brown and Biton.<\/p>\n
“There’s no question the injuries have had a psychologically detrimental effect on him,”<\/p>\n
Never mind him, what about us ? His injuries are driving us nuts. And the medical staff are missing watching their children growing up.<\/em><\/p>\n “He needs to get past that. He’s fit, he’s training well, and I think that player is still there. He just needs to find it.<\/p>\n Tell him to say Aaaaahhhh and I’ll have a look for him.<\/em><\/p>\n “I think it’s more psychological than physical.”<\/p>\n In fairness, theres quite a few physical problems as well.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n “He’s said, ‘I need to play’, and I told him he needs to show his best form in training,” said Lennon.<\/p>\n “He has to try and knock his way past these guys.<\/p>\n And then he’ll hurt himself again.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n “If he gets the chance to play, he has to show us the Kayal of old, a guy who was a spectacular player, by the way.<\/p>\n “I think it’s there. He’s only 25, but I haven’t seen the ruthlessness in him for a while.”<\/p>\n If it is still there, he’s right. Kayal was a tremendous prospect at first, and perhaps his courage is failing him a little. Give him a couple of Bertie Auld dvds to watch. That’ll give him an idea of whats required. Especially if you can find the one where he broke his collar bone but stayed on the pitch to deal with English hardman Nobby Stiles \u00a0when Auld \u00a0was at Hibs.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n At first, Kayal had a streak in him that wasn’t unlike Aulds own persona, granted way short of Aulds level, but there was a hint of something that could have been developed.<\/p>\n Anyway, McCulloch seems to have shattered the lads confidence in himself, and what he needs is some sort of closure.<\/p>\n Well, probably not that extreme. But he needs to make McCulloch look stupid. To get one up on him in some way, difficult while theres no chance of Celtic meeting the new club , and the best I can come up with is to advise him to let Dundee Utd do it next week.<\/p>\n Or just read McCullochs book. That gives anyone a sense of superiority.<\/p>\n Up front today we should see the next instalment of the Stokes Griffiths partnership, which has come along a bundle since the karaoke kid joined up. Stokes is looking like the player he can be, and Griffiths is settling in nicely, and impressing with his attitude and work rate. And , of course, the goals he makes and scores.<\/p>\n Manager Neil Lennon has admonished Griffiths, which ties in nicely with the clubs own statement which says he has been punished internally and that should be that. Hopefully, that will be the end of it and the SFA can announce that the matter is now closed. Before they continue to make an arse of themselves.<\/p>\n Again<\/p>\n Lennon continued<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got to stop being daft. ( On Griffiths ) We\u2019ve dealt with it internally and I wasn\u2019t over enamoured with it.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was aggressive and nor was there any foul language.<\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s a code of conduct he has to adhere to now. He did cross the line in that aspect.\u201d<\/p>\n Will Griffiths know he’s crossed a line ?<\/p>\n \u201cHe will do when he gets his letter in from the club.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t hammered him or \u201cI don\u2019t want him singing with Hibs fans about other clubs. He\u2019s a Celtic player, his whole focus should be on Celtic. We\u2019ve all been guilty of doing daft things at times but that\u2019s his one strike.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I don\u2019t want him doing any more \u2013 otherwise his career at Celtic won\u2019t be as long as he maybe wants it to be.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he knows that whilst he may feel he hasn\u2019t done a lot wrong, I think he understands the reasons why we are disciplining him. I know he acts daft but he is bright enough, Leigh, to understand that.<\/p>\n \u201cI want him to make headlines for the right reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n Griffiths is a refreshing change from the pampered millionaire footballer we see in the media. He wears his heart ( snigger) on his sleeve, and as long as it doesn’t affect his performance on the field the general opinion amongst the Celtic support is that Griffiths is one of us.<\/p>\n But he does need to be careful. If you go around singing football songs in public, people will film or photograph you, and with the immediacy of social media you could be all over the web before you finish you pint.<\/p>\n The diary on april 1 mentioned something that a drunk guy told us about meetings between some old chums from the old days of Sectarian Rangers.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, specialist in all things dodgy at ibrox Phil MacGhiollabhan has sent an email to the press office ( have they still got one ? ) at Rangers..<\/p>\n And its very good. Wonder if he’ll get an answer…<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\noveremphasised it \u2013 you have to give players a bit of space. But I don\u2019t want to have any more conversations about it, put it that way.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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