Kelvin Wilson has told The Scottish Sun he is ‘certain’ that Neil Lennon will bounce back and deliver 10-in-a-row for Celtic come May.
Lennon’s popularity among some Hoops fans took a major hit on Wednesday when the club were eliminated in the second round of Champions League qualifying by Hungarian minnows Ferencvaros.
It’s the earliest that Celtic have bowed out of this competition for 15 years and there’s now no chance of them securing the £30 million windfall from reaching the group stages.
Going into this season, winning the league was far and away the main priority for the Bhoys, who have won nine successive titles and the chance for history beckons.
And Wilson, who played under Lennon at Parkhead during the Irishman’s first stint in Glasgow, is supremely confident that his former manager will still deliver the historic feat.
He said: “Celtic fans need to trust Lenny. He will deliver ten in a row — I am certain of that. The Ferencvaros result is a massive disappointment. Lenny will take his share of the responsibility but losing Odsonne Edouard didn’t help.
“You need your top players in big games and he would probably have made the difference on the night. But Celtic will bounce back. They always do. And Lenny will bounce back too.”
The Champions League defeat could result in a resurgence of speculation about Odsonne Edouard leaving.
But it’s imperative that Celtic keep hold of him, even if they have to refuse a record-breaking sum for the young French marksman.
Brilliant players come and go, but history doesn’t. Celtic will have another Edouard before they have another chance to win 10 titles on the trot, so it makes sense for Peter Lawwell and Lennon to keep hold of him, regardless of cost.
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