If rules were broken, take Rangers' titles, says Lennon

Senior Sports Writer

Thursday 19 July 2012

Neil Lennon believes that Rangers should be stripped of five league titles and four Scottish Cups, if they are found guilty of illegally using Employment Benefit Trusts.

Thomas Rogne, right, looks to dispossess Georgios Samaras in training, but the defender has confidence in Celtic's strikers to be successful this season. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

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Ronnie Cully

The Scottish Premier League will consider evidence on dual contracts and EBTs at a meeting on August 10, and a commission will decide what punishment should then be applied.

This could amount to expunging the titles won by Rangers in 2002/03, 2004/05, 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 from the records. In each of those seasons, Celtic finished as runners-up and Lennon is of the opinion that, if the Ibrox side's title wins are annulled, the records must be amended to show that the team which finished second is credited as champions.

In terms of the Scottish Cup, it would mean that beaten finalists, Celtic (2002), Dundee (2003), Queen of the South (2008) and Falkirk (2009), would be awarded the silverware. That would mean Celtic would have 48 championships, bringing them to within one of Rangers' overall haul.Lennon said that removing titles and handing them to the runners-up occurs in other sports, including cycling and athletics, when a winner has subsequently been found to have broken the rules."I will see what the commission finds but, if they are found to have broken the rules, then they should be stripped of their titles," said the Celtic manager, who lifted five league trophies as a player at Parkhead. "It will not change what has gone on in the past, but I suppose there will be a sort of moral victory, in that respect."It's not going to change my life now, by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be good to be changed for historical reference." When asked is the title should go to the team which finished in second, Lennon replied: "Yes".However, he explained the implications fall much further than simply depriving other clubs of the success they were due. "At that time, it might have cost players contracts and bonuses, managers their jobs and might have relegated teams. There are so many ripple effects to it," he said."Again, you go back to the integrity of the game. Was it there? If not, then it should be investigated. That is all we ask for. We're in the game for the glory, and then the money comes with it. "The more successful you are, the more money you get. But, when you are a kid growing up, all you want to do is to play football for a big club and to win things. That never changes."Lennon is not interested in acquiring medals for any titles which are awarded retrospectively to his club. "I can't get that title or feeling back and, like I said, it won't make a huge dent on my life from here on in," he said. "It would a lot better on my cv, though. I wouldn't want the medals, just the recognition. That would be enough."Lennon, in line with everyone else connected with Celtic, has previously been very reluctant to comment on the investigation into Rangers' EBTs, but believes the time is right to speak up as the SPL prepare to deliver their findings to the commission. He makes the point that other sports are much more willing to redistribute prizes won illegally. "Six months ago, [Alberto] Contador was stripped of the [2010] Tour de France title and it was given to Andy Schleck. That is the right way to do it," he said. Of more immediate concern for Lennon will be the form of his side during their pre-season tour to Germany. Concerns had been raised about the fallow period his strikers had endured since alighting in Germany, only for both Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes to respond with goals in a win over VfR Aalen on Tuesday.The arrival of the goals came as a relief to Lennon – as well as the strikers themselves – as the quality of opposition will improve markedly over the coming weeks. Celtic will face Eredivisie champions Ajax on Saturday, before meetings with Norwich City and Internazionale. The small matter of a Champions League qualifier then follows for the Parkhead side.It is a formidable run of fixtures but Thomas Rogne is confident the Celtic forwards will have refined their scoring touch by then. The defender is only 22, but he has been around long enough to understand it takes no more than a second for the men in the front line to click into gear. "For strikers, it is more about the day, how they feel when they wake up, if their shoes are tied the right way, stuff like that," said Rogne. Meanwhile, Celtic are checking on an injury to Beram Kayal, who came off at half-time in the game against Aalen. The Israeli internationalist is currently being assessed by the club's medical staff to establish the extent of the problem.

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If rules were broken, take Rangers' titles, says Lennon

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