The shocking scenes surrounding Neil Lennon’s assault last night at Tynecastle must be dealt with quickly and effectively to ensure it can never happen again. The whole situation surrounding Lennon and Celtic is getting out of hand and something has to happen before anything really serious transpires.
Whatever is going on up in Scotland must be sorted out and the SFA have to get the clubs together and work out a plan of action. This season has been largely dominated by the goings on around Lennon after bullets and suspect packages were found in his mail. The deep rooted hatred and anger towards the man is simply unfathomable and it is beginning to tarnish Scottish football as a whole.
There is no doubting that the standard in Scottish football is not what it was, even five years ago the level on display was significantly higher. There is no money in the game which means it is simply dying out. The bad publicity these incidents are bringing to the game makes it even harder for people to get behind and support. A recent podcast I listened to summed up the issues by stating that there is no humour or banter allowed in the old firm games anymore – it is simply too dangerous.
It has never been a fixture for the faint hearted but it has now gone beyond that. In one of the games this season Lennon cupped his ears to the Rangers fans at Ibrox which provoked a nasty reaction. The Celtic manager should have more sense considering recent occurrences but the supporters need to get a grip. Over the last decade the fans from the Old firm sides have travelled all over Europe without many disturbances so they are capable of behaving.
If something is not done soon I feel the only way to ensure the safety of players, managers and fans is to play the big games behind closed doors. Nobody wants this as it is one of the best derbies in world football. However, the safety of an individual must come first so this has to stop now! The SFA, the SPL and the clubs have to find a resolution and fast!
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