Celtic Manager Neil Lennon Hits Back At Critics After Champions League Exit To Braga
Irishman will not accept harsh comments...
Celtic manager Neil Lennon vigorously defended his team’s second-leg performance against Sporting Braga as he responded to comments made by former Bhoys striker Andy Walker.
The Hoops failed to progress to the next stage of the Champions League despite a 2-1 home win over Sporting Braga.
The Scottish club dropped down to the Europa League - the second tier of continental competition - after losing 4-2 on aggregate to the Portuguese side.
Former Celtic player, and now pundit, Walker described the Hoops' Champions League campaign as having 'ended with a whimper' after the match.
“I am not surprised at the criticism that has come but I am surprised at the areas where it has come from," Lennon told the club's official website.
"I picked up a tabloid today and it was ex-players who were wearing a Celtic shirt at a promotional event for Tennent's and getting paid good money for it and then going ahead and putting the boot into the team, the club, the board and myself."
Walker went on to criticise Lennon’s summer spending in which the Bhoys boss didn’t take well.
"I can't have that and will not accept that," he added. "One particular ex-player criticised my signing policy.
"I said I was trying to bring British and Irish players into the club which I have done - Joe Ledley, Charlie Mulgrew, Daryl Murphy and Gary Hooper.
"I did try to go after (Jimmy) Bullard, (David) James and (Sol) Campbell but I was unsuccessful with that.
"But all he could think about were the Israelis, South Koreans and Mexicans, who I think will enhance and improve the club anyway. So he is a bit economical with the truth there."
Lennon continuedL "He [Walker] said we went out of the competition with a whimper.
"That's his opinion - and he also said we didn't have a sustained amount of pressure and there was a lack of crosses against Braga, which was, again, a falsehood.
"We put 37 crosses in. We scored from two and had 65% possession. I am not big on stats, but I have to use these to back up what I said after the game."
Lennon also jumped in to defend his skipper, Scott Brown, saying: "He was prompting attack after attack, winning the ball back and covering the ground. I couldn't have asked any more of him."
Celtic drew Utrecht in the Europa League play-offs and Lennon believes they need to be prepared to face the Dutch side.
"Whenever a Dutch team comes they will always try and play football and technically they are very good," he said.
"We are familiar with one or two of Utrecht's players but we will be doing our homework between now and the first leg.
"We want to put on a good performance against Utrecht and take a lead over there and hopefully get into the group stages and anything can happen after that.
"One of the reasons why the players come here is for the Europeans nights and to sample the atmosphere, to play European football, and there is a lot to look forward to this season."
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Yeah i'd agree with that, Sampdoria had many changes this summer at their upper level. Werder perhaps one of the most stable teams out there (Thomas Schaaf has been around in that club since the late 80's 
).
