Hibs boss warns Celtic are more dangerous than ever

By DAVID HARDIE
Published on Thursday 16 February 2012 12:05

Hibs boss Pat Fenlon today claimed Rangers’ collapse into administration will give Celtic fresh impetus despite admitting the SPL title race is all but over.

The ten-point deduction imposed on the Ibrox club has left their arch-rivals 14 points clear at the top of the table, but Fenlon believes Neil Lennon and his players will now want to take the championship flag by as great a margin as possible to avoid accusations that they had won it in a courtroom. Celtic will pitch up at Easter Road on Sunday having already clocked up an incredible 17 straight wins in domestic competition, making them red-hot favourites to lift the treble. However, Fenlon feels Lennon will now be setting his stars new goals to achieve between now and the end of the season.

Hoops defender Adam Matthews has already claimed he and his team-mates can remain invincible between now and the end of the season, and Fenlon believes that’s just one target Lennon will be setting his players.

Insisting events in Govan will have little, if any bearing on this weekend’s match in the Capital, Fenlon said: “The league is obviously more or less done and dusted now but it will be a challenge for them in that they will probably want to win it by as many points as possible so people do not point the finger and say they only won it because Rangers were deducted points.

“I’m sure Neil will be driving that, saying ‘let’s go and win it without people having any doubt’.”

Fenlon also believes that while Celtic fans will undoubtedly be ecstatic at this week’s turn of events, Lennon and his players will possibly be a touch disappointed at not having the opportunity to take the title on the field of play.

As such, he feels Celtic manager Lennon will be pushing his players on to new heights. He said: “They have been playing really well, the run they have been on, going from week-to-week without any blips, has been incredible.

“For any club to be winning so many matches consecutively is an amazing achievement.

“Now they will have to set their own goals, trying to break records that have been set previously, the number of games won, going through the rest of the season unbeaten, winning the treble. They’ll be talking about all of those things.”

Coincidentally, Hibs were the last side to take a point from Celtic, a no-scoring draw in Glasgow at the end of October, and although he conceded, given the respective positions the clubs currently enjoy, most will see the outcome of Sunday’s match as no more than a formality, Fenlon insisted he’ll be operating on the maxim that all good things come to an end.

He said: “Everything has to come to an end at some stage and we would like to be the ones to end it although it is going to be a big ask.”

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Comments

There are 53 comments to this article

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53

Swansong

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 10:46 AM

Hibs 4 - Celtic 2 thats what i see.

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52

the unbiased view

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 08:59 AM

Don't you think it is outrageous that Dunfermline and Hibs are in this position when the mighty rangers have now been found guilty of cheating for the last ten years or so and the only punishment as far as football fans will see is a ten point deduction whilst one of these two clubs having played it by the book will be relegated. Unfair is an understatement !

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51

Hammy1874

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 08:01 AM

47... Mr Chibs..... stop it, stop it, I'm hurting..... ooooooohh ma sides.

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50

Swansong

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:40 PM

Pending Moderation

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49

Libra Personified

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:22 PM

42 Duke of Cumberland. Or the Hearse parading the urn? ;¬)

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48

MrHibs07-1973

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:12 PM

Comment removed by moderator

47

MrHibs07-1973

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:05 PM

Comment removed by moderator

46

leith walk

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:02 PM

I know my maths in my post below dont work out..However massive point leads have been clawed back before.Even this season Rangers held a huge point adavantages over Celtic,A few years ago Newcastle also held a big points advantage over Man U wich didnt stop Man U takeing the title..Hope G O C turns up this Sunday an plays for the shirt.Not the hibs shirt but for his possable future employers shirt

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45

Baldrick

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:29 PM

44* Good logic. One of our fellow posters tell us that Hibs have collected 5 of the 30 league points available to them over the past 10 games. If he is right, that's not very good really. It's about to be 5 out of 33 and with a record like that, relegation is a very real threat. Celtic, Hearts double for me at the weekend.

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44

leith walk

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:20 PM

If Celtic realy want to win the SPL on a levell playing feild.They should lose the next 3 games an draw the fourth,Therefore throwing ten points doon the lavvy,Then they will be able to win without help from Rangers points deduction,.Never happen of course a fancy us for a zero zero draw on Sunday or even sneak a one nill win.

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43

Portsmouth 657

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:07 PM

Keyboard was made in leith and doesn't work.

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42

Portsmouth 657

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:06 PM

Hearst aor Hearts - Take yer pick.

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41

Portsmouth 657

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:06 PM

#38 Hearst have won one and drawn one. By their very high standards that is poor. How many home games have hibs won in the last year in the league?

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40

Swansong

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:50 PM

Atholl or etholl you have become a total header.

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39

Hibernian fc

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:47 PM

Rangers Blootered Scottish football back when souness went bananas, no sympathy for them or their fans,

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