Defiant Neil Lennon has launched a bullish defence of his under-fire side as he insisted criticism aimed at Celtic has bordered on “hysteria”.
Critics have rounded on the Hoops boss and his team since they were dumped out of the Champions League by Romanians Cluj last week.
The flak intensified after it took extra-time and a deflected James Forrest strike to see off Championship side Dunfermline in the Betfred Cup on Saturday.
But Lennon has hit out at those rushing to write Celtic off and believes his side can restore their European prestige by fighting past AIK Stockholm to reach the Europa League group stages.
Ahead of hosting the Swedes on Thursday, the Northern Irishman called for calm, saying: “It’s not me that is creating the headlines or shouting out the criticism.
“I’m very supportive of the players and was after Cluj and Dunfermline. We’ve lost one game – I didn’t believe we deserved to and that’s the harsh realities of the game.
“We’re fine. We’re absolutely fine. It’s like everyone out there is head down. We’re not. We’re bullish and looking forward to the games.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
“There has to be a sense of perspective.
“I can’t control that but there has been a little bit of hysteria at times. That is the environment you’re in in Glasgow sometimes.
Lennon was left frustrated by his side’s defensive lapses against Cluj (Jane Barlow/PA)
“We’ve lost one game and scored three goals in it, so it’s not all doom and gloom.
“We have to be bullish about things and look forward. It’s a big disappointment to be out of the Champions League but the Europa League is a very good competition that hopefully we can prosper in.
“There’s a narrative going around that we might be a little bit off colour. We’re not.
“We’re absolutely not and hopefully the players can go out and show that tomorrow.
“We have a big season ahead. We’re two league games in and have scored 12 goals.
“People are entitled to criticise me and the players but there has to be a sense of balance.”
Celtic have made the group stage of the Champions League or the Europa League every season since 2011 and Lennon believes it is vital his side maintain that record.
Lennon, who is still hoping to add three or four new faces to his squad before the September 2 transfer deadline, added: “Obviously the players want to show they have some European pedigree.
“It’s important we get through. It gives us gravitas, opens the season up and gives us European football to look forward to towards Christmas, so it’s an important couple of games.”
Lennon has some useful contacts in Sweden but admits his former Parkhead number two Johan Mjallby may not be willing to divulge too much about his side’s opponents.
Johan Mjallby (left) was Lennon’s assistant for four years during the Northern Irishman’s first spell in charge of Celtic (Danny Lawson/PA)
“I’ll speak to Johan before the game but he’s an AIK legend as well as a Celtic legend, so he may have divided loyalties,” he grinned.
“He’s a very good friend of mine and my number two for four years during my first spell. He’s coming to the game I believe so it will be good to see him.
“It will be a tough game. Swedes have a great mentality. It’s vitally important that we start better than we did against Cluj.
“We’ve had a good look at AIK. We watched them last week and had some thorough reports on them. We’re prepared and ready to go.”
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.
