The accusation that they “Hibsed it” has been a finger in the face of a Hibernian side that have had a notoriously fickle centre throughout the years.

However, as Neil Lennon checked into Leith yesterday afternoon to take his place in the dug-out he immediately sounded out a message that he will not pander to what he sees as a “boyband” mentality within the Easter Road squad – something he picked up on even as a player at Celtic when he came up against Hibs.

“Boy band. Boy band,” said Lennon, when quizzed on the inconsistencies that have plagued the Edinburgh club throughout the years.

Read more: Hibs should be a top four Premiership side, says Neil Lennon

The Herald: Neil Lennon: Hibs should be a top four side. Photo: John Linton/PA Wire.

“When I played against them, they had the [Scott] Browns and [Steven] Whittakers and all these lads. They would come and play Celtic and play really well and then they would go out partying in Edinburgh, getting pats on the back. Then they would go and lose to Motherwell the week after.

“That won’t be tolerated here by me. I don’t want them getting pats on the back for beating Raith Rovers or drawing away at Dumbarton. I’ll give them a pat on the back if they get promotion. They’ve got to learn quickly. It’s not acceptable for a club of this standard. Inconsistency won’t be tolerated.“

Read more: Neil Lennon: I hope Jason Cummings and John McGinn stay at Hibs

Lennon’s reputation goes before him as he walks into the Hibs job, so it was only fitting that he indulged himself with a loud guffaw after insisting that he would not put up with any ill-discipline; “poacher turned gamekeeper!” he chortled.

There is devilment within Lennon, there is a circus that surrounds him – that first derby at Tynecastle will be interesting – but he also brings with him passion, enthusiasm and a candid straightforward manner.

It was there when he spoke of where he envisages that Hibs should be, and it was there when he reflected on the aftermath of a season that ended a 114-year Scottish Cup hoodoo.The Herald: 09/06/16 
EASTER ROAD STADIUM - EDINBURGH
Neil Lennon is unveiled as the new Hibernian manager

This Hib side have finally disregarded a jinx that has hung heavy on their shoulders like a wet, woollen coat season after season, but even as the hangovers still linger in the dressing room, its currency has diminished in the eyes of the new manager as a fresh campaign awaits.

“ I think it’s great for the fans, more than anyone else, all the leg-pulling they’ve had, the gloating and goading,” said Lennon. “They’ve got that monkey off their backs and it was a great achievement by the players but I don’t want them dining on that. When their careers are over they can but it’s important we get out of this division now.”

While Hibs will feel that they have got a significant coup in landing Lennon, there is a sense that the former Parkhead boss has accumulated black marks against his name since leaving Celtic. The experience at Bolton was chastening for Lennon but he holds no regrets about effectively going about his managerial career in reverse.

“Listen if you got offered the Celtic job would you take it?” he said. “I was 38 when I got offered it. There was no way I was going to turn it down, maybe not get offered it again. So we made the most of what we had at Celtic. Four years later we had championships, cups. “We sold players for millions that we bought for next to nothing. We made a real success of that which sometimes gets overlooked. There’s an expectation. There’s an expectation here at Hibs too. People think it’s easy but it’s not.”The Herald: Welcome aboard: Neil Lennon leaves Hibernian's training centre on Wednesday night

Lennon will be as pragmatic with his Hibs team as he is with his words. There will be a win at all costs philosophy since results mean everything this terms as they seek to get back into the top flight, but there will not be a rigidity about the style.

There was an accusation that Hibs tried to play too much football last season without the end product and Lennon will look to combine a certain manner of playing with a sense of effectiveness.

There’s nothing wrong with good football if you get penetration and you get goals but at times you need to mix it up a little bit and you need to be physical,” he said. “It’s not easy playing in Scotland. At Celtic everyone wanted to beat you, you were the best team.

“Everyone raised their game that little bit extra and you have to have that mentality to get used to that. It’s a great feeling though to be winning and winning well and winning championships but I’ve got to pass that experience onto the players now.The Herald: Neil Lennon is closing in on move to Hibs

“There’s a culture here that the club plays good football, going back to the Famous Five. And I want to buy into that. The teams that Tony Mowbray produced were good footballing teams. They did really well finishing third and fourth. That’s where we want to take the club to but the mentality has to change a little bit.

"I think there is a huge monkey off their back with winning the cup. To lose to Falkirk in the way they did and then pick themselves up five or six days later and beat Rangers in a cup final showed a hell of amount of character. They can take a lot from that but they’re going to have to show that character week in week out next season if they want to play for me.

“There’s got to be a mix,” Lennon continued. “The team I played in at Celtic and the team I managed had big centre halves, you had me and then you had the players like the [Lubo] Moravicks, the [Henrik] Larssons, the [Aiden] McGeadys. In the team I managed you had your [Gary] Hoopers, you had solidity in [Victor] Wanyama and a good goalkeeper, but then you had your players who could play and make a difference. It’s trying to get that mix right.”