NEIL LENNON has slammed his players after Celtic’s ‘embarrassing’ defeat to Sparta Prague, which he ranked as one of the worst of his career, and said that he has to overhaul the entire culture of the club.
The Scottish champions went down 4-1 at Celtic Park to an understrength Sparta side, who had six first-team regulars missing due to Coronavirus and who haven’t played a domestic match for four weeks.
The Celtic manager said he didn’t see the defeat coming after the win over Aberdeen on Sunday, but said he can no longer defend his players after they have recorded just that solitary victory in their last six games.
"Of course it is [embarrassing]," Lennon said. "It’s unacceptable. A lack of application, lack of hunger
"There has to be a culture change. I have to change it quickly and the players have to change quickly because it’s not acceptable.
"I need to get them more hungry, more on point, back to basics. We didn’t do basics well enough, didn’t use our bodies, didn’t run. All the things Sparta did.
"We need to be far more aggressive as individuals.
"As a manager I have to accept responsibility but players need to look at themselves as individuals.
"We got back into it at 2-1 but third goal is too easy.
"We need to get back to showing a bit more humility, working hard on training ground.
"I didn’t see that coming after Sunday, a great performance, and four good days."
Len
"We didn’t do the basics well enough. A set play, they’ve hardly been in our half. A corner that isn’t even that well hit. But we should be there for first contact, be more aggressive with defending We bang the drum about that all the time.
"I’ve been over far worse than this. But, in terms of isolated games, it’s one of the poorest.
"I don’t know whether it’s the crowds not being here, but we haven’t really set the heather on fire at home. We need to look at that."
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