Neil Lennon is Gaslighting the Celtic Support – I’m Not Having It

Before we delve into Neil Lennon’s interview with the Times. Here is a definition of the term ‘Gaslighting’.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of reality, or memories. People experiencing gaslighting often feel confused, anxious, and unable to trust themselves.

Ok, so let’s get to the interview.

NEIL LENNON is over 100 days removed from his second spell as manager of Celtic Football Club but the Irishman refuses to take little responsibility for the season being an unmitigated disaster.

During his final season the former Hoops boss blamed everything but himself for what was going on as Celtic descended into madness.

With time and perspective, the former Celtic captain has doubled down on his belief it was factors out-with his control that hammered the nails into our coffin.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Times, the Celtic manager had a go at the support for wanting him out after Celtic fell from one defeat to the next. He blames the pandemic for the upheaval and Celtic fans obsession with ten in a row.

On the Ross County cup tie: Neil Lennon was entirely disingenuous when he claimed it was an overreaction at the time for the support to call for his sacking. The former gaffer cites Celtic’s impeccable record in cups before that night and paints a picture of Celtic fans losing one cup game in five years, then going nuts.

“Speaking to the players the next day they were really disturbed and upset by that,” Lennon said. “Literally upset by it. That was the first cup defeat in 35/36 games. It was the end of an unbelievable cycle of success and for them to be treated that way was bewildering. They should have been lauded for it rather than abused. They were getting pelted with missiles.

“It was very sad. There was a new breed of supporters that I had nothing in common with and who belie the values of the club. They are the ones that are giving the club a bad name.”

• If you go back to that time, Celtic had just come off a humiliating defeat to Sparta Prague and was the second time we were soundly beaten 4-1 by them.
• We were trailing in the league after a dismal Glasgow Derby where we failed to register a shot on target.
• We had crashed out of the Champions League to minnows Ferencvaros.
• Performances were woeful, then Celtic were turned over by County.

As Celtic fans watched the season slipping away, a crowd formulated at Celtic Park. Mostly peacefully and chanting for change, there were idiots who took it too far and they should be condemned. However, I will simply not allow Neil Lennon’s narrative to stand.

The Irishman puts it like we finally got beat in a cup game in over four years and that was enough to upset us – it’s simply not accurate.

Neil continues by saying the fans had an ‘unhealthy obsession’ with ten in a row which apparently hindered what was going on.

“It was definitely a situation like no other. You’re going for the tenth title in a row and that was an obsession for the fans, an unhealthy obsession I felt. And we were in the midst of a pandemic where nothing was normal. So you put that together and there were a lot of things that were out of your control as a manager.”

“Let me put it this way, it wasn’t just the football you were concentrating on, there were a lot of other things going around,” he said.

“Whether it be protocols, or the trip to Dubai, or players breaking Covid regulations, there was a lot of anxiety from other people surrounding that. It was a difficult thing to manage. People above me were as strong as they could be.”

“I had nothing in common with those supporters and the way they treated Dermot and Peter as well, shocking.”

Again, no acceptance his team weren’t turning up for him. Not taking responsibility for calling out wantaway players in an interview after our Champions League exit – telling them ‘just to go’ and then starting the EXACT same starting XI four days later.

If Neil were to read this, he would probably lump me in with one of the supporters he doesn’t identify with.

I’ve been in the stands since 1994, as a young kid. I watched Neil come in as a player under O’Neill, grow into a captain and help lead the club to glory. I was there and behind him the day we lost the league title on his first full season as manager – partaking in a stadium wide huddle in support of the novice manager.

I was there to listen to him say ‘This isn’t the end, it was just the beginning’ which received rapturous applause from the support he now condemns.

Neil is calling out these ‘new fans’ as he puts it, because they recognised he wasn’t up for the job anymore. The Green Brigade were very vocal about his situation throughout last season. The same group the manager lauded and sat the League title in front of the year after his ‘just the beginning’ speech.

Last season – the support recognised Neil Lennon’s tenure wasn’t working anymore and Lennon is using a few idiots throwing things at our players to hide behind the fact he let last season pass him by.

The only real obsession I witnessed last term was Neil Lennon’s tunnel vision to get his players to Dubai during a global pandemic and the staunch defence of the trip when it went horribly wrong.

I’ve been measured enough throughout last season not to get personal when it came to Neil Lennon. I didn’t want to see insults thrown his way, I simply wanted him to be removed as the Celtic manager. Had the board acted in a better fashion, we could have at least ended this season with something, we waited until the point of no return before making the call.

It’s clear the Celtic legend (Yes, he is indeed a legend of our club) absolves himself from most of the blame. Maybe that’s the human instinct for self preservation.

• It was those pesky wantaway players.
• The worldwide pandemic.
• The obsessed Celtic fans.

It was nothing to do with Neil Lennon and his management of the club.

I’ll end where I started.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of reality, or memories. People experiencing gaslighting often feel confused, anxious, and unable to trust themselves.