No one loves Celtic as much as Neil Lennon – Hayes

Jonny Hayes believes boss Neil Lennon has an unmatched passion for Celtic which is inspiring the Hoops dressing room.

The Northern Irishman was appointed as manager until the end of the season in February when Brendan Rodgers left suddenly for Leicester.

Lennon, a former Parkhead captain and manager, is unbeaten in eight games and guided the club to the final of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a 3-0 win over Aberdeen at the weekend, while they remain on course for an unprecedented domestic triple treble.

Former Leicester, Inverness and Aberdeen winger Hayes claims Lennon’s love for the club is permeating the squad.

The 31-year-old Irishman said: “I have never seen a manager love a club as much as the gaffer loves Celtic.

“The manager has been superb since has come in. A lot of the boys have taken confidence from him.

“He inspires players and seems to get the best out of players.

“I have seen it already in the dressing room.

“Some of the foreign lads who have been here short term, they can see how passionate the manager is about the job and how much he wants us to win every game and you can definitely see it rubbing off.

“It is his general enthusiasm around the place.

“Every day you can see he wants the best, no different to the previous manager as well but we have a manager now who really wants us from the bottom of his heart to win every game.

“Not just for the players, for the sake of winning trophies but for everybody out there supporting the club as well.

“It can only be a positive for us when you have someone who brings that desire in the changing room.”

Hayes stopped short of asking the Parkhead board to make Lennon’s position permanent, saying: “I don’t make those decisions but certainly the players wouldn’t be against it if he got the job, I know that.

“But that’s up to the board to make those decisions.”