The Celtic manager has revealed he has had three ‘chats’ with the player since his return from international duty.
The Frenchman is under a bit of pressure at Celtic right now after outspoken comments in newspaper L’Equipe which criticised the standard of opposition in Scotland and suggested he was eager for a move away from Glasgow.
However, it appears that Lennon’s man management skills have been utilised to effectively bring the player into the fold.
As quoted by The Evening Times, Lennon said of the situation: “I had a chat with him when he came back, we had a chat during the week and we had a good chat on Tuesday. It was just about him in general and trying to get to know him a wee bit better.
“Whether that’s had any effect on his performance in Tallinn I don’t know, but I thought he was brilliant.”
Ntcham won plaudits from pundits and some fans for his European performance after making his first start of the season. He had a big hand in the opening goal, turning with the ball and feeding a through ball for Mikey Johnston to cross dangerously.
Considering the midfielder has not had much of a pre-season he looks very sharp and most importantly eager to impress.
His attitude levels need to be spot on right now if he’s to have a future at the club, or win a big money move elsewhere. Letting himself regress on the fringes of the Celtic squad would be a bad career move.
Luckily in Lennon he has a pretty thoughtful manager when it comes to motivating his players. It’s doubtful that the manager’s approach with the player had little to do with his Tuesday night display, despite his modesty.
It’s great for Celtic too of course. On his day, Ntcham is one of the best midfielders in the country and if the Hoops boss can keep him happy then he’ll be a key asset over the coming season.
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