NEIL Lennon tonight revealed he is determined to continue as Celtic manager - despite the Parkhead club falling 13 points behind Rangers in the Premiership with a 1-1 draw at home against St Johnstone.
The Scottish champions, who only earned a point when substitute Mohammed Elyounoussi cancelled out Chris Kane’s opener with six minutes remaining, have now won just two of their last 12 matches.
The result this afternoon saw the Glasgow outfit go five games without winning at their own stadium for the first time since 1958.
Fans gathered outside Celtic Park last Sunday following their Betfred Cup defeat and exit to Ross County and called for Lennon to be sacked – but the board of directors gave the Northern Irishman a vote of confidence.
The 49-year-old, whose team can complete the quadruple treble if they win the Scottish Cup final on Sunday week, is hoping that his position is unaffected by their latest disappointing result.
Asked if he sensed his second spell in charge of Celtic was nearing an end, Lennon said: “I can’t answer that. I don’t want to pre-empt anything. I want to keep working to try and turn it around.
“It is hugely concerning and I am not going to shy away from that. It is hugely concerning that we can’t keep a clean sheet, when we looked very comfortable in the game. We let people run in behind us and it’s not good enough.
“I understand the fans’ frustrations when we are not playing well, and not getting results. But there are ways and means and some fans are more irate than others. But right now I agree with them that our performances don’t equal the quality that we have, and if that falls on me then so be it. If there is going to be a change then so be it.”
Asked if he thought the St Johnstone draw would change Celtic directors’ attitude towards him, Lennon said: “I don’t think so. I don’t want it to change either. I want to keep working. I have got good people behind me. I just need to get the players back to the levels that they’re capable of.
“Do we look at our training? Do we look at our routines? Do we look at our set ups? We have analysed all those things to death. The players have to look at themselves as well. We are better than this.
“We need to find a solution to this as quickly as possible. It is too tentative. The play is too tense. We are taking too many passes to get the ball forward and there is not enough quality in the final ball.”
Asked if he would resign if he felt he was unable to take Celtic any further, Lennon said: “That is a hypothetical question so I am not going to answer it.”
Lennon refused to accept that Celtic’s hopes of catching Rangers, who beat Ross County 4-0 in Dingwall to stretch their lead in the Premiership, and completing 10-In-A-Row in the 2020/21 campaign are finished.
“Listen, we need to be realistic,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s over, but we are making it more difficult for ourselves. We need to start winning games and winning them well. As far as the season goes, we are making it very, very difficult for ourselves to get back into it.
“We need a bit of swagger back in the team. It is missing at the minute. Some players aren’t fit enough and that has been the case for a long time. Some players are just not in good form. They need some respite at some stage and they need some support from me.
“But, again, it is a two way thing. The players have got to play better. We have tried everything we can to get the performances right.”
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