Celtic need a player in the mould of Neil Lennon, says Bertie Auld

Former Celtic captain Lennon won his first Clydesdale Bank Premier League title as a manager at the weekend with a 6-0 thumping of Kilmarnock at Rugby Park and then targeted the Champions League group stages next season.

However, Celtic won only one of their eight Europa League games this season and Auld, who was in the Hoops team which won the European Cup in 1967 under Jock Stein, believes an experienced holding midfielder in the mould of Lennon the player is what is now required.

“I think Celtic will need to bring a couple of players in to school or coach the younger players there,” said Auld, speaking in Glasgow where he was publicising this weekend’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-finals in which Aberdeen play Hibernian and Celtic face Hearts.

“I know Neil said it is one of the younger Celtic teams, but as soon as you pull that jersey on and walk down the tunnel, you are judged as a Celtic player.

“Experienced players give you that guidance which we don’t have.

“We need someone with an old head who is going to hold the reins. A sort of Neil Lennon, who is prepared to sit in and encourage and pick up the ball.

“Neil must have been very disappointed and dejected about some of the games we played [in Europe]. You can’t go out and throw caution to the wind and attack everyone.

“At that level you have to have a plan B; even the great clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, if they can’t attack away from home, they need to have another system and Neil will have learned that.”

After the post-match celebrations in Ayrshire, Lennon claimed the title win meant he could now walk alongside former Celtic managers like Stein, Billy McNeill, Davie Hay, Wim Jansen, Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan.

However Auld, a disciple of legendary manager Stein, added: “I think that was tongue in cheek, knowing Neil. Neil knows the big man [Stein] was number one.

“But the big thing is, Neil is just a young manager, he has won the Scottish Cup, he has won the championship and he is in the semis of the Scottish Cup, although I think it will be a hard tie because Hearts will be up for it. But he went out to win the league championship and did it.”

Auld called on Lennon’s backroom staff to step in to help with some of the problems the Parkhead boss still appears to have with officials in Scotland.

Lennon will come up in front of the Scottish Football Association’s Judicial Panel on Thursday week.

He was written to by compliance officer Vincent Lunny demanding an explanation for his comments about referee Willie Collum following the Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat by Kilmarnock at Hampden on 18 March.

Lennon described Collum’s decision to deny Celtic a last-gasp penalty as “criminal” while claiming the official cost his side the chance of a possible treble. The Northern Irishman was then sent off by referee Calum Murray at the interval in the 3-2 SPL defeat by Rangers at Ibrox.

Lunny then wrote to Lennon again, asking to explain his comments about referees ahead of the visit of St Johnstone, but that case will be heard at a later date.

“I think they [the backroom staff] need to take their turn,” Auld said.

“Alan Thompson and big [Johan] Mjallby, they will need to pull his shoulder and say: ‘Here, listen, it’s my turn, let me get in’, and then do that.”

Meanwhile, there was some good news on the injury front ahead of the trip to Hampden on Sunday.

Captain Scott Brown will be available after coming off against Kilmarnock with a slight knock.

Defender Thomas Rogne (knock) and striker Mo Bangura (knee) have both returned to training, while Paddy McCourt (back) will return this Friday. Midfielder Beram Kayal (ankle) will also resume full training on Monday.

Winger James Forrest is making slow progress on the calf bruising he suffered in the League Cup final, while defender Daniel Majstorovic has returned to Sweden for a break from rehab as he continues his recovery following his knee operation.

Under-19 midfielder Paul George, who suffered a double leg break on Saturday against Rangers, was released from hospital today. He faces six to eight months on the sidelines.