The possibility of a surprising achievement has crept up on Celtic. Should they avoid defeat when they travel to Firhill on Sunday for the meeting with Partick Thistle – the only Glasgow derby in town, in the absence of Rangers – then Celtic will have proceeded unbeaten through the opening quarter of a league campaign for the first time in 10 years. What makes that statistic so remarkable is that the Parkhead side have been champions six times in the past decade and yet, despite Rangers’ banishment to the fourth tier of Scottish football last season, have repeatedly stumbled in domestic fixtures, in vivid contrast to their heroics – especially victory last season against Barcelona – in the Champions League. The gap left by Rangers was a factor last time around, though not now, according to Neil Lennon. “It was something new and everyone had to acclimatise to it. The reality is that people are just getting on with it now,” the Hoops manager said. “I wasn’t happy with last season’s points total and I wasn’t happy with some of our performances before and after the Champions League. There was a big emphasis on rectifying that this year. It was probably because it was my first time in it as well. It was a very important thing for us last year. I’m not saying we’re old hat at it now but we are more experienced. We’re on a decent unbeaten run and we want to maintain that. I think the players do as well – it’s their record, after all. It’s not a massive record at the minute but it’s there to be kept if the players want it. “It’s not like I’m threatening the players or anything like that. If there’s a drop in their level and I see that they might be saving themselves for other games they won’t play. I’ve certainly had that reaction. I think we’ve played well domestically.” Meanwhile, Lennon is keen to consolidate the future of certain players, with an eye to long-term benefits for them and the club. Kris Commons is, Lennon revealed, a prospective addition to the backroom staff. “Kris is a player I would like to keep around for quite a while if I could and maybe with a view to [him] staying on here afterwards as well,” the manager said. “In maybe a coaching capacity? That is something I would sit down and discuss with him because he has got the talent for it and he has certainly got the personality as well. “I think it is important we keep players on here who understand the club. We could certainly contemplate that. He is comfortable here He loves it and his family are settled here. He has played really well and in the last couple of seasons he has been fantastic for us.” Another who merits high praise from Lennon and who is also seen as a durable asset is Georgios Samaras. “It is all about negotiations at the end of the day but there is a willingness [on his part] to speak to us and there is a willingness to keep him which is fantastic,” Lennon said. “He never has been bothered about money. It is all about his own happiness and being successful. He is really enjoying what he is doing now. He has become very mature and responsible – on and off the field – he has always been a good pro but his consistency now is superb. “Georgios is a good boy, he is a bit deep. He is intelligent and he has never been that flash type. He looks it with the hair and all, but although he is an individual he is not in any way in your face.”
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 07:57:23 +0000
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