'THEY really bring a smile to your face." Neil Lennon was not referring to the SFA disciplinary body he faces tomorrow or to the grizzled hacks that he saw in front of him at Celtic Park yesterday.

The objects of his admiration were the Thai Tims, the group of child singers with the wonderfully politically incorrect name and the inspiring message in song and in appearance.

The Celtic manager attended the news conference after meeting the 40 children from Chanthaburi province trackside at Parkhead. He was swamped as the children rushed towards him, embracing him in affection.

Lennon is aware that the SFA disciplinary panel may be somewhat more restrained in greeting when he faces them tomorrow. His apology over the confrontation with referee Euan Norris at the end of the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Hearts was heartfelt but will not ward off punishment. "I deeply regret what happened," he said.

This recent past will be dealt with by the SFA at Hampden tomorrow but a new season already beckons both manager and team. It is reasonable to expect the Celtic manager may not be in dugout for any of the remaining matches of the season as the sanctions imposed tomorrow precede the game against St Johnstone, their third last of the term.

Lennon, then, will have time for reflection not only on his personal behaviour but on the shape and composition of his team. Talks are continuing at Celtic Park between the manager, chief executive Peter Lawwell and the support staff.

Lennon was properly discreet yesterday after his apologies were made to the referee and the Celtic board over the semi-final meltdown. However, it was possible to discern some of his thinking about the challenge ahead. It is reasonable to suppose he has deep misgivings about any long-distance pre-season trips ahead of Champions League qualifiers in July. He was quick, for example, to state any warm-up in Yankee Stadium, New York, had still to be confirmed. Celtic have a need to make money and "spread the brand" but Champions League qualifiers will surely be the priority.

He also said his players would be given "homework" – a fitness programme – when they leave on holiday, while potential recruits will be assessed this week. "As soon as we won at Kilmarnock we were looking ahead to next year," he said of the clinching of the Clydesdale Bank Premier league title last month. "We have our eye on a few players."

He pointed out that the scouting team, led by John Park, have worked all year to identify targets. "We will be having meetings this week to narrow it down," he said.

Lawwell has stated frequently that Lennon has "bought in" to the realpolitik of managing Celtic and this was evident when the Northern Irishman was asked if he would pool all his resources and pursue one "marquee signing". "I do not know if we are in the marquee market," he said. This bluntness was softened by the observation that "looking at the squad, I do not think we need to be. They are blossoming quite nicely at the minute and if you bring in that one superstar it can upset the balance."

Celtic have spent extravagantly in recent years on recruiting the talents, even temporarily, of such as Robbie Keane, Thomas Gravesen and Freddie Ljungberg. The priorities are different now. Lennon is wary of paying inflated salaries. "My honest opinion is that some players are grossly overpaid for what they put on the pitch. But good luck to them, if they are offered that money. Some clubs have paid well over the mark at times in terms of transfer fees and wages. There are reasonable deals out there for quality players," he said.

The Celtic manager hopes to raise cash by a "significant pruning of the squad". He would not name names but Celtic have a slew of players out on loan, including Daryl Murphy, Niall McGinn and Josh Thompson. He is also resigned to the reality that at least one player he wants to keep may have to be sacrificed. "I am not keen on selling but needs must at times," he said.

Ki Sung-Yueng, the South Korean internationalist, has already been the subject of inquiries and Lennon, with a strong midfield, could afford to let him go. The ascent of Southampton into the Barclays Premier League almost certainly means an improved bid for Gary Hooper is imminent. The Celtic manager would be loath to lose such a player but he may have to bow before the reality of a £6m-plus offer. However, money saved in salaries from cutting the numbers in the squad and from a slice of any transfer fees would allow Lennon to "be in the market for two or three players".

He is bolstered by the realisation that recent recruits have impressed, with Victor Wanyama singled out for special praise. "He has really come to the fore," said Lennon of the Kenyan player.

Celtic, too, won the title this season without sustained contributions from Emilio Izaguirre, Biram Kayal and Kris Commons. Lennon has a young squad with potential but will now seek to add experience. "You can only go so far with young players if you need to make inroads in Europe," he said.

There will surely be older heads on the pitch at Parkhead. The apologies made yesterday indicate there may be a more experienced and mature one at trackside.