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Operation December starts a day early for Neil Lennon and his Wanderers squad tonight, the mission: start clawing back some ground on the team above.
The league table makes grim viewing ahead of tonight’s game against Brentford, the first of seven before the transfer window re-opens.
Should all go well in the boardroom, Wanderers hope to have new ownership in before the turn of the year which, theoretically, should bring with it some new investment in the playing squad.
But what situation the new regime will inherit is down entirely to the performances over the festive period.
It was at this stage last year that Lennon enjoyed his best run with the Whites, driving them out of the bottom three and into mid-table. Craig Davies’s goal against Huddersfield Town 12 months ago lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time that season.
And the manager is searching for a similar run this time around before potential relegation becomes an issue he has to face head-on.
“If we can, it is important to get in investment before January and then look to add to the squad to improve it,” he said. “We don’t want to get caught adrift and at the moment there is a possibility we could.
“We have a real fight on our hands so it is important in the next few weeks we start accumulating points and stay in touch with the rest.
“If you are talking about relegation, that becomes a challenge further down the line. If we can stabilise ourselves in the Championship like we did last year then it becomes a more viable proposition.”
Players have been briefed about the ongoing sale of the club and the knock-on effect it has had on the financial situation at the Macron Stadium.
Lennon is keen, however, for it not to become a crutch for his players.
“We have tried to keep players a little aware of what is going on but we don’t want them using that as an excuse for poor results,” he said. “The form this season hasn’t been good in terms of results but the performances have been okay. We could have been 3-0 up at Reading before they had scored.
“We have got two home games coming up and if we can win both it will give us a huge lift.”
This is a new experience for Lennon too, especially compared to the trophy-laden four-year spell he spent at Celtic.
“It is the first time I have been involved in a club where the finances haven’t been great,” he said. “It is difficult to make comparisons. I had a lot of highs on the field and lows off the field up there. But they were different scenarios and nothing to do with the running of the club
“We are bottom of the league and that’s something I have not been used to either. It is a challenge and I want to get things right.
“I think I can. You need tough personalities and tough characters at a time like this.
“I want to make sure I can navigate the team through this difficult period.”
Source
The league table makes grim viewing ahead of tonight’s game against Brentford, the first of seven before the transfer window re-opens.
Should all go well in the boardroom, Wanderers hope to have new ownership in before the turn of the year which, theoretically, should bring with it some new investment in the playing squad.
But what situation the new regime will inherit is down entirely to the performances over the festive period.
It was at this stage last year that Lennon enjoyed his best run with the Whites, driving them out of the bottom three and into mid-table. Craig Davies’s goal against Huddersfield Town 12 months ago lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time that season.
And the manager is searching for a similar run this time around before potential relegation becomes an issue he has to face head-on.
“If we can, it is important to get in investment before January and then look to add to the squad to improve it,” he said. “We don’t want to get caught adrift and at the moment there is a possibility we could.
“We have a real fight on our hands so it is important in the next few weeks we start accumulating points and stay in touch with the rest.
“If you are talking about relegation, that becomes a challenge further down the line. If we can stabilise ourselves in the Championship like we did last year then it becomes a more viable proposition.”
Players have been briefed about the ongoing sale of the club and the knock-on effect it has had on the financial situation at the Macron Stadium.
Lennon is keen, however, for it not to become a crutch for his players.
“We have tried to keep players a little aware of what is going on but we don’t want them using that as an excuse for poor results,” he said. “The form this season hasn’t been good in terms of results but the performances have been okay. We could have been 3-0 up at Reading before they had scored.
“We have got two home games coming up and if we can win both it will give us a huge lift.”
This is a new experience for Lennon too, especially compared to the trophy-laden four-year spell he spent at Celtic.
“It is the first time I have been involved in a club where the finances haven’t been great,” he said. “It is difficult to make comparisons. I had a lot of highs on the field and lows off the field up there. But they were different scenarios and nothing to do with the running of the club
“We are bottom of the league and that’s something I have not been used to either. It is a challenge and I want to get things right.
“I think I can. You need tough personalities and tough characters at a time like this.
“I want to make sure I can navigate the team through this difficult period.”
Source