Lennon: Time to show our swagger

Celtic manager Neil Lennon wants to see “a bit of swagger” from his players as they edge closer to clinching the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

The Hoops could be crowned champions as early as this weekend if they defeat Hibernian at Parkhead and Motherwell lose to St Mirren.

And, once they do wrap up the championship, Lennon believes it will be an achievement that is well deserved this term.

He said: “First of all we have to beat Hibs and then see what the Motherwell v St Mirren game brings.

“We are at home and our home form has been sensational for the last seven or eight games.

“We’ve won 10 in a row at home and I want to maintain that. I want us to play with a bit of swagger that’s been missing for the last couple of weeks.”

On the prospect of clinching the SPL crown, Lennon added: “I would be delighted, thrilled.

“It’s a great feeling, it’s a great sense of achievement and it’s been our priority from the start of the season.

“Obviously Europe was a high in the season but to put another title on the record of the club would be brilliant and would be great for the players as well and thoroughly deserved.”

Meanwhile, Lennon has vowed to vigorously defend himself after the Scottish Football Association instigated disciplinary action over an alleged outburst against St Mirren captain Jim Goodwin.

The Irishman has been accused of a “failure to behave in a responsible manner as an occupant of the technical area by repeated use of offensive, insulting and abusive language” during the 1-1 draw with Saints on Sunday.

He has yet to respond to SFA compliance officer Vincent Lunny’s notice of complaint.

But Lennon – who still has an active three-match suspended ban in place – has made it clear he will fight the charge.

He said: “I can’t really talk about it at the minute but needless to say I will be defending my case as vigorously as possible.

“I don’t want to say anything to prejudice the case against me.

“I’ll speak to the club officials and lawyers and we will come up with a defence to defend myself as best I can.

“Vincent has a job to do and he feels he has to bring this case forward and we will deal with it when it comes around.

“We will make a case and hopefully we will get what we deem to be the right result.”

Asked whether there is a greater onus on managers to set an example, Lennon said: “I think the managers, in general, for the majority of the season, have been impeccable.

“There is choice language used. There is choice language used on the pitch, there is choice language used in the crowd – certainly behind my dug-out anyway - and there is choice language used between managers and officials.

“We are at the top level of the game.

“It’s a man’s game and this has been going on since the day I was born and it will continue to go on because we are reactive, we are instinctive, we are passionate, we get angry sometimes, we get happy sometimes.

“I do think the managers here behave themselves in a professional way.”