Lennon: Tax fears may strengthen ‘wounded’ Rangers

Senior Sports Writer

Saturday 17 September 2011

NEIL LENNON has warned of Rangers' off-field issues making them a more dangerous opponent ahead of the first Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox tomorrow.

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ronnie cully ronnie.cully@heraldandtimes.co.uk

The Celtic manager believes the continued speculation over the long-term financial health of their city rivals, who are being pursued by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in two tax cases, may give them extra motivation for the derby.

Lennon knows that winning an Old Firm game is the perfect way to reduce pressure and does not want to provide any respite for his counterpart, Ally McCoist, who will lead Rangers against Celtic for the first time.The Celtic believes the controversy which surrounded the explosive Scottish Cup quarter-final replay between the clubs last season, when he clashed with McCoist on the touchline, is now behind them.“It [the tax issue] may be an added motivation, for their players to say, ‘there may be difficulties off the pitch, but on the field we are fine’,” said Lennon. “We will approach it as we do every game and try to win, but will have to be ready for anything Rangers throw at us. It could go against us because a wounded animal is always a dangerous one. We will have to be at our best.”Lennon concedes the media circus surrounding Rangers is a distraction McCoist could do without as he tries to prove he is an adequate replacement for Walter Smith, and said: “It must be difficult for him with all the adverse publicity behind the scenes, but in terms of the football side of things, you can only concentrate on the job in hand and a Celtic/Rangers game is one to whet the appetite of any manager.”Lennon is hopeful Anthony Stokes and Scott Brown will have recovered from the injuries which kept them out of Thursday’s Europa League game in Madrid, after which James Forrest also emerged as a doubt for Ibrox.All three will be given every opportunity to prove they are ready to play, and Lennon said: “James complained of a bit of muscle fatigue in a hamstring, but we will see how he is. Anthony has got a chance. We will see him and Brown tomorrow and assess them then. But, from what I gather, he [Stokes] is a lot better.”

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Lennon: Tax fears may strengthen ‘wounded’ Rangers

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