Celtic sacking would have been understandable following woeful run of form admits Neil Lennon, who was ‘hurt’ by fan protests

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has admitted he would have understood if Sunday’s shocking defeat by Ross County resulted in him being sacked.

Hundreds of fans turned up in protest at Celtic Park demanding the removal of the manager following the dismal 2-0 League Cup defeat with police forced to intervene in unsavoury scenes.

Lennon appears to be on the brink at CelticGetty Images

Lennon’s position is under increased scrutiny following a run of just two win from Celtic’s past ten matches in all competitions. There is also a mammoth 11 point gap between them and Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership, albeit they do have two games in hand.

A dismal 4-1 defeat by Sparta Prague also spelled the end of Celtic’s Europa League campaign with two group games remaining.

However, the club’s chief executive Peter Lawwell on Tuesday night gave his backing to Lennon, who is now preparing for Thursday’s European dead rubber against Milan at the San Siro.

Asked if he thought in his heart of hearts that it was over for him on Sunday, the former Celtic captain, in his second spell as Bhoys boss, said: “Not in my heart of hearts, but I could understand if that would have been the case, yes.

“I am very grateful (for the board’s backing). They are not a board that sack managers for the sake of it.

“We have had great success, we are going through a tough time but they don’t leave you out in the lurch.

Peter Lawwell gave the Celtic boss a public vote of confidence amid increased scrutiny regarding Lennon’s positionGetty Images

“There is great support here. Great support from supporters, letters, emails, there has been great support from other managers in the game, and the LMA (League Managers Association) who have seen it all before and who probably deal with it on a daily basis.

“It is really encouraging and comforting and I have had great support from the players as well.

“From my own point of view, for 20 years I have done everything in my power to bring success to the club and the fans.

“That is not going to change on the run of a bad month or people being upset by my style of management if they want to say that.

“I owe it to the players, they are working hard to turn it around and they are feeling it at the minute so they need my support as well.”

On the scenes that unfolded on Sunday night, Lennon added: “We’re hurt and disappointed.

“I understand the frustrations of the supporters because we are not in a great run at the minute. But it serves no purpose, particularly for the players.

“I’m old enough and big enough to take criticism and abuse. Some of it is justified and some of it is over the top. That is the role of a manager and that is the responsibility you have to bear.

“They [the players] felt the wrath of the supporters. It surprised some of them, it shook a few of them up. But they want to put things right for them and obviously the club and myself as well.”

Sutton fears the worst for his old palGetty Images

Celtic legend Chris Sutton has accused Lennon’s coaching staff of ‘running for the hills’ amid his former club’s nightmare run of form.

Speaking on the Record Celtic podcast he said: “Something which I’ve noticed and I think other people have talked about is he does seem very, very lonely at this moment in time when he’s standing in the technical area.

“I think I’ve always associated his good spells in management – and there have been ups and downs – he’s always had a team with him.

“He’s always had a closeness with an assistant and I don’t think that he’s necessarily being helped at this moment in time enough by John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan.

“They seem to want to be aloof and distance themselves when they should be standing right up alongside him.

“I think that’s been an issue for a while.

“I don’t know the situation with regards to appointments but I do know that when the likes of Johan Mjallby was alongside Neil, Johan Mjallby would tell Neil what he actually thought and what he should be doing.

“He’s a friend of Neil’s, he has Neil’s best interests at heart.

“Now I’m not suggesting that John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan don’t but I do think it’s been very, very noticeable that Neil seems to be carrying this burden on his own.

“I know people will be saying, ‘well John Kennedy’s a defensive coach and Gavin Strachan is a coach and the manager is responsible for everything’.

“But what I would would want to have seen is to see them be visible, whatever it is to show him more support than they have done. They seem to be running for the hills.”