NEIL LENNON has described the date of his upcoming SFA disciplinary hearing as “unfair” because he believes it leaves him and his Hibernian team in an avoidable disadvantaged position as it comes only 48 hours before their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.
The Easter Road head coach faces three charges for his part in the recent fracas involving Jim Duffy, the Morton manager, some of his players and coaching staff at Easter Road. As it stands all parties will go to Hampden on Thursday, April 20.
Lennon, who will try to get it moved, can’t understand why the hearing will take so long to take place when the decision to reduce his captain Darren McGregor’s red card to a yellow and, controversially, to clear Morton’s Kudus Oyenuga from diving, have already been made. Hibs travel to Morton this Saturday and while Lennon was not as animated as he was in the wake of the incident last week, he remained frustrated that his situation has been allowed to drag on for as long as it has.
He said: “I’m not happy with the date. I don’t understand why it can’t be done now, or on Monday or Tuesday. I will go and defend myself. I will look to get it delayed because if it’s on a Thursday before a semi-final and they deem me guilty of something – whatever that is – then I miss the semi-final.
“And I think that’s totally unfair. Bang out of order. Why is it delayed to the 20th? The players have been dealt with so why can’t we be dealt with? What more do they need to look at?
“Although, to be fair, [broadcaster] Chick Young looked at it four times and blamed the fourth official. There was no fourth official [there are none in the Championship]. So that’s the kind of people that are commenting on what is going on. That’s the kind of opinions and guff I have to listen to.
“Six times he watched it and he blamed me [too], of course. The fourth official should have stepped in? It’s unbelievable.”
Lennon would much rather be working with his players, unless the date is moved, rather than explaining his innocence to the disciplinary committee.
He said: “You could say that because we are playing a team who are in as good form as Celtic at the minute. The semi-final is very important for this club and if I’m not being allowed to do my job for something I feel unjustifiably punished for, I will not be happy.
“Here’s one for you. When I was at Celtic I got sent off at Tynecastle – rightly so – in October time, I think, for remonstrating with [referee] Steven McLean. It was two months before Christmas but the hearing was in February or March and I ended up missing the League Cup Final.
“I was sat in the stand against Rangers because for some reason the process took months. Why? I can’t remember the reason they gave me, it’s so long ago. If that’s the case we can wait until next season and do it.”
Lennon at least has the influential McGregor for Saturday’s match at Cappielow because a win would all-but make Hibs champions.
He said: “It’s the right outcome as far as I am concerned. The referee’s report says he’s 15 metres away from the incident, which is 40 yards the last time I went to school. I was two yards. So I Continued, Page 7 know who had a better view of it all. Yeah, we feel justified.”
As far as Oyenuga’s behaviour, and it was a surprise he was not punished for feigning injury. Lennon was happy to let, almost, let this one go.
He said: “So what is the outcome then? Has he feigned the injury, has Darren headbutted him? Is it violent conduct, what is it? I still don’t know.
“Nothing happened! Jim didn’t come into my technical area, I didn’t react, there was no incident so we can all move on! I don’t know what the yellow is for. I haven’t seen the report.
“That’s five red cards we’ve had this season, two from the same referee – and three rescinded, is that a record? If these things even themselves out over the next five games we’ll be playing against ten men in three of them, players who have been unjustly red carded. So I’m looking forward to that.
“Listen, the Compliance Officer has looked at it (Oyenuga), he’s not here to please me. He’s here to see what is right or what is wrong, what’s fair or what is just.
“And if he thinks there wasn’t enough evidence to punish the lad for what he did then who am I to argue with that? The Compliance Officer is just doing his job, he’s not here to keep me happy no matter what I say.”
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