Lennon will encourage his players to challenge officials

NEIL Lennon has reiterated Celtic's criticism of refereeing in Old Firm games last season and will look for his players to question officials under his stewardship.

During the Glasgow derby at Parkhead in January, a goal by Marc-Antoine Fortune was ruled out after referee Steve Conroy deemed that the Celtic striker had fouled Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

In the previous Old Firm clash last October, Celtic had a couple of penalty appeals denied by match official Craig Thomson, who later admitted he had made an error of judgment in one of the decisions – when Parkhead winger Shaun Maloney was clearly fouled in the box by Rangers defender David Weir.

Days before the third game against Rangers in February, which the home side won 1-0 amid more controversy when Celtic skipper Scott Brown was sent off for tangling with Kyle Lafferty, a Parkhead "source" revealed that the club had analysed games and expressed concerns about major decisions that had gone against Celtic – a view with which Lennon concurs.

"I think some of the decisions we had last season were abysmal," said the new Celtic manager.

"Particularly in the high-profile games – the Rangers games in particular.

"The club were justified in making a point about it."

On his desire to see his players question decisions and back each other up, Lennon continued: "I did it myself as a player, not to influence the ref but to let him know we weren't happy.

"Any challenges that were a wee bit heavy, there were two or three of us around the player who did it.

"There was a togetherness and I want to see that again. I want to see them sticking up for each other.

"They did that in the last few games. That's what teams are about – looking after each other on the pitch and having a good spirit off it.

"It's important. It's a basic thing in the game and it's difficult because in the modern game you've got all these different coaches but we'll try to develop the players and make sure there's an affinity with the club."

Meanwhile, Ireland striker Daryl Murphy's transfer from Sunderland to Celtic is "very close" according to sources, with a 250,000 difference in valuation by the two clubs.

The Waterford man would take a cut in wages at Celtic, as Roy Keane had rewarded the forward with a significant deal when he renegotiated his contract at Sunderland. The Black Cats have also revised their original asking price of 1.7m.

Murphy's move to Parkhead would disappoint Ipswich Town and relegated Burnley who were also competing for the 27-year-olds signature.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has made it clear that Murphy, who was signed by Mick McCarthy from Waterford United for a minimal fee in 2005, has no future at Sunderland and the striker with nine senior Ireland caps must move on. Sunderland are limited to a squad of 25 under new Football Association rules and if Murphy had chosen to see out his contract until 2012 he was unlikely to be named in Bruce's 25.