Lennon slams play-off proposal

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has voiced his opposition to a proposed Scottish Premier League play-off to be introduced as a title decider.

Lennon was joined by Old Firm opposite Walter Smith in describing the idea as ‘ludicrous’, after Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson coined the proposal that the top four teams could have a finals-like play-off period at season’s end.

A play-off involving the SPL’s top four teams would undoubtedly threaten to break the duopoly that Celtic and Rangers have over the other 10 teams in the division, but Lennon rubbished the proposal.

“I don’t think it’s fair at all, I think it’s absolutely ludicrous. I saw the headlines today and I didn’t even bother reading them because I just think it’s a piece of nonsense,” Lennon said.

“I’ve been here 10 years and if you look at the gap between the top team and the third and fourth-placed team, the gap is always quite big. So basically you’re saying your season comes down to two or three games at the end of the season? Absolute rubbish.”

Smith said the play-off idea had already been trialled, and failed, in European football.

“From memory, I think they tried it in Holland on one occasion. It was one occasion and then they got rid of it. If you look at the Championship in England, play-offs work as long as your first and second teams get the rewards that they deserve,” the Rangers boss said.

In regards to his job, Lennon said he felt his future beyond the current season – which has Celtic sitting in second place, three points from leaders Rangers – would depend on whether they held the trophy aloft on the season’s final day.

“It will be based on results. We’ll see how things go over the next few months but I’m not going to bang any doors down. I’ll just concentrate on what I’m doing at the minute,” Lennon said.

“Yeah, but my remit was to turn things around. You won’t be able to evaluate that until later on down the line.”