'Destructive' Charlie Nicholas lambasted by Neil Lennon for his swipe at Celtic

Nicholas, now a media pundit, claimed in his weekly newspaper column that Celtic have been dragged into the "biggest mess in footballing terms" he can recall at the club following last Saturday's shock Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Ross County at Hampden. Stating the blame lies at the door of major shareholder Dermot Desmond, chairman John Reid and chief executive Peter Lawwell, Nicholas said the trio were guilty of mis-management and under-investment over the past two seasons.

But interim manager Lennon responded yesterday with a robust defence of the men he hopes will hand him the job as Tony Mowbray's successor on a longer-term basis beyond this season.

"I've not seen the article but I've heard about it," said Lennon. "I've been here ten years and I've never seen Charlie Nicholas walk in through that door. I've never seen him in the dressing room or on the training ground. I've never seen him in the boardroom. He is nothing but destructive, either about the Scottish national team or Scottish football in general. And he is certainly very, very destructive about anything this club is trying to do.

"How does he know about Dermot's input into the club? He doesn't. So he is speculating, he is rumour-mongering and getting a phone call from his so-called sources. I'm annoyed I have to give press time to Charlie."

Lennon believes Nicholas is guilty of failing to fully understand the financial circumstances Celtic find themselves in, a misapprehension the former club captain admits he once held himself.

Following Celtic's 3-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk which saw them eliminated from Champions League in 2004-05, Martin O'Neill's final season in charge of the club, Lennon publicly condemned the board for failing to back the manager with greater funds in the transfer market.

"I had a go at the board after that Shakhtar Donetsk game," recalled Lennon. "We were not competing at the level I felt we should have done.

"But then I spoke to Dermot and he put me right on a few things, which is fair enough. I made the mistake, as many have, of saying 'we should be spending the money'. But the money isn't there and he explained what the club are trying to do.

"Obviously we are at a huge disadvantage to the English clubs. That's the reality. We were punching above our weight in the Champions League in the Noughties."

Celtic begin their post-split SPL fixtures at home to Hibernian today with Lennon brushing off speculation linking Southampton manager Alan Pardew with the role he currently occupies.

"Dermot and Peter Lawwell are duty bound to speak to other people if they don't think I'm the right man for the job," said Lennon. "I wouldn't have a problem with that. But I've had no indication that's the case."