Leggat - LENNON'S IRISH TRICOLOUR COLLAR BREAKS UEFA RULES

[ian1964 10,563]

It is an obsession with a foreign country which must perplex and even anger Scotlandâ??s First Minister, Alex Salmond.

 

And yet, no hack has raised the issue and asked wee Eck for his reaction. I wonder why?

 

After all, it is not as though Salmond is some sort of shy, retiring shrinking violet. There has never been a bandwagon he hasnâ??t been happy to jump aboard. Never a spotlight he hasnâ??t wanted to tap dance in. Never a Scottish cause whose trumpet he has not been keen to blow.

 

Apart from this one.

 

The question is simply, this: why does the manager of the Scottish Champions, the club representing Scotland in the European Champions League, wear a foreign flag on the collar of his track suit?

 

Why not, for instance, the Saltire? Or is Neil Lennon ashamed of his adopted countryâ??s flag? Is there something about it he finds distasteful?

 

Too blue, perhaps? Too blue and white, perhaps?

 

Well, you know, I am a decent chap. An understanding soul who is always willing to try to see the other fellowâ??s point of view and I can understand why Neil Lennon would not want to incense the hateful IRA supporting bigots of the Green Brigade by wearing the Saltire on the collar of his track suit.

 

Perhaps he lives in fear of offending these dangerous terrorist supporting zealots.

 

But why does he not merely opt for the club colours? Green and White. Why does he have to add another colour, a colour which has nothing to do with Celtic, in order that the collar of his tracksuit resembles the flag of a foreign country, in this case the Republic of Ireland?

 

And who is at Celtic who allows this to happen? Peter Lawwell? Surely not?

 

After all, unlike the Celtic manager, chief executive Peter Lawwell is a Scot. What is the attraction of such a foreign flag for a Scot? In Lennonâ??s case, as an Ulsterman with a Republican family background, I can just about fathom why he loves wearing the Irish Tricolour.

 

But there is no such mitigation which can be offered in the case of the man with the decisive power in such a matter, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.

 

And then there is the question of UEFA and their statutes, which forbid any expression of political opinion. Perhaps somebody may like to draw UEFAâ??s attention to the Irish Tricolour on the track suit collar of the manager of the Scottish Champions in order that they can ask Neil Lennon why he wears it.

 

Or, to put it into the sort of jargon which appeals to Celtic, UEFA could seek clarification from Celtic on this vexed subject.

 

Still on the subject of Celtic in Europe, the pro Celtic media (thatâ??s especially BBC Scotland, Radio Clyde and the Scottish Daily Mail) has been awash with the bleatings of how poor old fair minded Celtic were mugged by vicious, cheating low life Juventus. Just about every non pc cliché â?? of the sort usually hated by the Celtic love-in brigade â?? has been trotted out about the Italians. Short of invoking the Cosa Nostra.

 

Therefore, it was refreshing to read the experienced view of Roger Hannah in the Sun on Sunday. Hannah merely pointed out that a number of seasoned ex pros had commented that what happened at Celtic corner kicks had been happening all over Europe for years.

 

Hannah also added that he observed similar circumstances the following night during the enthralling Real Madrid-Manchester United contest, while I was taken by the circumstances surrounding the late Oldham equaliser against Everton on Saturday night.

 

Of course none of the above will make any difference to the whiners inside Parkhead and their associated luvvies in the media. Perhaps we can have some clarification in the media about their continual pro Celtic agenda.

 

I mean, itâ??s not as though Chris Sutton, John Hartson and all the other burly big bruisers from Martin Oâ??Neillâ??s, era ever did anything similar in Celticâ??s cause, is it?

 

[ian1964 10,563]

That will upset the BHEASTS no end

[Bluedell 5,408]

And then there is the question of UEFA and their statutes, which forbid any expression of political opinion. Perhaps somebody may like to draw UEFA’s attention to the Irish Tricolour on the track suit collar of the manager of the Scottish Champions in order that they can ask Neil Lennon why he wears it.

 

I fail to see why having 3 colours on your tracksuit collar is an expression of political opinion and I doubt UEFA will go for that. Yes, they also fly the tricolour and although it can be looked upon as distasteful, again I'm not sure that it falls under political expression and it would be easy enough for them to defend.

 

Was the saltire on our strips political and support independence? of course not.

 

It's a reasonable effort by Leggat but it's fairly easy to defend.

[pete 2,499]

The best way was to just ignore it. The Celtic supporters will in fact not be upset by Leggats blog they will in fact be ejaculating that Lennon has managed to get under the skin of some of the Rangers support. That is the reason he is doing it after all.

[BlueMazza 0]

The best way was to just ignore it. The Celtic supporters will in fact not be upset by Leggats blog they will in fact be ejaculating that Lennon has managed to get under the skin of some of the Rangers support. That is the reason he is doing it after all.

 

Agreed, also give the GB statement yesterday I think they have plenty of their own issues to deal with