Neil Lennon feels that criticism of Craig Levein is undeserved

NEIL Lennon has expressed sympathy for embattled Scotland manager Craig Levein, pointing out that Scotland “never got the breaks” in their 2-1 defeat to Wales last week, and said some of the criticism levelled at the national manager is unjustified.

The Celtic manager, who supplied four of Levein’s squad for the back-to-back World Cup qualifying defeats against Wales and Belgium, defended the standard of his players Lennon reported that the quartet who featured in the ill-fated round of fixtures – Scott Brown, James Forrest, Kris Commons and the unused Charlie Mulgrew – have returned downcast following the defeats in Cardiff and Brussels.

“As you can imagine, they are bitterly disappointed,” said Lennon. “My own opinion, looking at the game against Wales, I thought Scotland in the first half played as good as they have played for a while. They were in control, they had good shape, a good tempo to the game and they never looked in any danger.

“The loss of Scott was a momentum shift, but let’s get it right, it’s (Steven Fletcher’s disallowed header) a goal, you go 2-0 up and that changes the landscape of the group and certainly the game and you go to Belgium in a far better frame of mind.”

Lennon is not one for Scottish-style introspection on the problems of the national game, especially as he has four Scottish squad members proving their worth in the Champions League.

“We do this all the time,” said Lennon. “When things don’t go well, we look at what’s wrong with the game, what’s wrong with the set-up, what’s wrong with the academies and what’s wrong with the future.

“For me, Scotland has got good players, and the four I’ve got have played a huge part in this season and in previous seasons, and I probably couldn’t do without them.

“Forrest? You wouldn’t get a better young player in Britain. Brown for me is playing at the top of his game now, even though he is hampered by this chronic hip problem. Mulgrew has been a revelation and Commons has probably been our best player this season. They are quality players.”

Lennon backs Levein in one sense: “I thought his team for the Wales game was spot on, and things were going well, it was just a lack of concentration cost them the game but, that happens in international football. I didn’t think they got the breaks, and that goal (Gareth Bale’s penalty) was a scandalous decision. It was a big moment and big moments change games.”

Nevertheless, Lennon accepts that Levein must face the fact that football is “results driven,” though he still scorns some of those who pillory the manager.

“There are too many people on the outside looking in who all have an opinion and do sweet FA about it,” said Lennon.

“We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Is the expectation too high? It’s not beyond Scotland to qualify for another major tournament. The Republic of Ireland did it for a few years, and it may come in cycles – Belgium are having a wonderful time at the moment but they haven’t qualified for a tournament except for the one they hosted. Perhaps you just have to be patient.”

Lennon maintains that Scotland does have the facilities to coach youngsters, but wondered aloud if the old boys club system might need to be brought back. As for the immediate problems, he was quite blunt. He said: “Maybe some of the players need to have a look at themselves in terms of their performances over the four games, never mind the two.”

So do players get too much too young? “Sometimes when players come into the squad, and we’ve seen this on numerous occasions now, and not just exclusively to Scotland, some players get left out for tactical reasons or whatever and they spit the dummy out.

“Sometimes that malaise can seep through the squad.

“When you go and play for your country you have to go with an open mind, you have to sacrifice a few things, your own ego, your status.”

Lennon’s own international career with Northern Ireland was cut short by death threats after he signed for Celtic. His passion and those of players – “they’re very patriotic” - for international football is still there, however.

“Probably I didn’t reach the heights for my country that I achieved for my club but it wasn’t for the want of trying,” said Lennon.

“I looked at Sweden’s comeback against Germany the other night and it meant everything to them, and I only have to look in my own dressing room and see how much playing for Greece meant for Samaras.

“Same with Wanyama for Kenya, Emilio Izaguirre for Honduras – or maybe it was just the fact they got a break from Scotland!” he quipped.

Following international duty, Celtic have First XI injury problems ahead of tomorrow’s match against St Mirren in Paisley.

“Scott, James, and Kris will be touch and go for the weekend, but we’re hoping they will be okay for Tuesday,” said Lennon. “Apart from that there’s no definite injuries but we’re still waiting on Samaras, Wanyama and the two South American boys, Miku and Emilio, but whether they would feature at the weekend with the lack of preparation would be doubtful.”