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Neil Lennon is more than happy to crank up the intensity on tonight’s derby – and has publicly challenged his players to serve up the same again.
While this particular Lancashire Hot Pot might lack the spice of the Old Firm clashes he is used to, there was definitely no doubting the manager’s frame of mind as he sat down to discuss Wigan’s visit yesterday.
There was no plea for calm or level heads, more an open invitation for his players to play at the kind of tempo which swept away Brentford and Cardiff in his previous two home games.
Lennon isn’t one for platitudes – indeed, he bit back at any suggestion Tuesday’s 3-0 victory was a corner turned in the season.
“There’s nothing to get carried away about,” he said, stoney-faced. “We’ve lost two games and won three since we came in and for me that’s okay. It’s not great.
“My feet are firmly on the floor and I’ll bring the players down if I need to as well.”
And in the next breath, he sent a very clear message out to the players who performed so well just 48 hours ago.
“We’ve been really inconsistent this season; can we get them up to those intensity levels again? I don’t know.
“I don’t know if they’ve been there before as players. I will be really interested to see how they react.”
Wanderers have occupied a spot in the bottom three for the last eight games, something they could change with victory tonight at least until 4.45pm on Saturday. And that, as much as local bragging rights, motivates Lennon to get a result against the Latics.
“There will be a bit of an edge to the game, but I quite like that,” he said.
“Two groups of rival supporters under the lights on a Friday night, what’s not to like?
“Players always need some kind of edge and in a derby you get it naturally.
“Of course I want us to be focused. We’re in a difficult position but if we win we get out of the bottom three at that moment on Friday night, which is a massive thing for me.
“There is a lot riding on this game, as well as local pride.”
Lennon admits he does miss some of the big build up afforded to an Old Firm derby – and with Celtic and Rangers drawn together in the League Cup in January, he is already fielding questions from the world’s media on the subject.
Not that the Northern Irishman minds, indeed his recent history as a pundit mean Wanderers-related questions are the exception rather than the rule at his press conferences for the national media these days.
“They haven’t had an Old Firm game in a while,” he said. “That’s why we’re talking about it now.
“It’s one of those games in world football that make you sit up and take notice.
“There’s a lot of hostility that goes with it as well, that I won’t miss. It’s hundreds of years of tradition and two massive clubs in one city means a lot of rivalry.
“But that period of my career has gone now. Bolton against Wigan might be a change of pace but there’s still plenty riding on it for us and the supporters.”
Wanderers could actually drag their local rivals into the relegation zone depending on results elsewhere at the weekend but Lennon feels Uwe Rosler’s side have enough about them to avoid any long-term struggles.
“I had them watched at the weekend and there’s plenty of quality in there,” he said. “Again, a bit like ourselves people will be surprised with the position they find themselves in.
“Uwe came in and did really well last year. I think he’s got the experience to know what is required.
“But it shows you that there is a lot riding on this one for both teams.”
The atmosphere at the Macron Stadium has been a much-discussed topic this season, and rarely in a positive light.
But Lennon has praised the fans for the way they have made home welcome in recent weeks.
“It helps that we have played well,” he said. “But I think there has been a sea-change on that front in recent weeks and the fans have played a huge part in that.
“The players do respond to the atmosphere and the energy that the crowd create. Sometimes that can be a negative energy but I’ve not been aware of any of that since I came in. It has been all positive so far.”
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While this particular Lancashire Hot Pot might lack the spice of the Old Firm clashes he is used to, there was definitely no doubting the manager’s frame of mind as he sat down to discuss Wigan’s visit yesterday.
There was no plea for calm or level heads, more an open invitation for his players to play at the kind of tempo which swept away Brentford and Cardiff in his previous two home games.
Lennon isn’t one for platitudes – indeed, he bit back at any suggestion Tuesday’s 3-0 victory was a corner turned in the season.
“There’s nothing to get carried away about,” he said, stoney-faced. “We’ve lost two games and won three since we came in and for me that’s okay. It’s not great.
“My feet are firmly on the floor and I’ll bring the players down if I need to as well.”
And in the next breath, he sent a very clear message out to the players who performed so well just 48 hours ago.
“We’ve been really inconsistent this season; can we get them up to those intensity levels again? I don’t know.
“I don’t know if they’ve been there before as players. I will be really interested to see how they react.”
Wanderers have occupied a spot in the bottom three for the last eight games, something they could change with victory tonight at least until 4.45pm on Saturday. And that, as much as local bragging rights, motivates Lennon to get a result against the Latics.
“There will be a bit of an edge to the game, but I quite like that,” he said.
“Two groups of rival supporters under the lights on a Friday night, what’s not to like?
“Players always need some kind of edge and in a derby you get it naturally.
“Of course I want us to be focused. We’re in a difficult position but if we win we get out of the bottom three at that moment on Friday night, which is a massive thing for me.
“There is a lot riding on this game, as well as local pride.”
Lennon admits he does miss some of the big build up afforded to an Old Firm derby – and with Celtic and Rangers drawn together in the League Cup in January, he is already fielding questions from the world’s media on the subject.
Not that the Northern Irishman minds, indeed his recent history as a pundit mean Wanderers-related questions are the exception rather than the rule at his press conferences for the national media these days.
“They haven’t had an Old Firm game in a while,” he said. “That’s why we’re talking about it now.
“It’s one of those games in world football that make you sit up and take notice.
“There’s a lot of hostility that goes with it as well, that I won’t miss. It’s hundreds of years of tradition and two massive clubs in one city means a lot of rivalry.
“But that period of my career has gone now. Bolton against Wigan might be a change of pace but there’s still plenty riding on it for us and the supporters.”
Wanderers could actually drag their local rivals into the relegation zone depending on results elsewhere at the weekend but Lennon feels Uwe Rosler’s side have enough about them to avoid any long-term struggles.
“I had them watched at the weekend and there’s plenty of quality in there,” he said. “Again, a bit like ourselves people will be surprised with the position they find themselves in.
“Uwe came in and did really well last year. I think he’s got the experience to know what is required.
“But it shows you that there is a lot riding on this one for both teams.”
The atmosphere at the Macron Stadium has been a much-discussed topic this season, and rarely in a positive light.
But Lennon has praised the fans for the way they have made home welcome in recent weeks.
“It helps that we have played well,” he said. “But I think there has been a sea-change on that front in recent weeks and the fans have played a huge part in that.
“The players do respond to the atmosphere and the energy that the crowd create. Sometimes that can be a negative energy but I’ve not been aware of any of that since I came in. It has been all positive so far.”
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