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'I've not seen anything like it' - fans and players reflect on a day like no other

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As kick-off approached on a grey autumn afternoon, a banner was passed between Cardiff City and Leicester City’s fans – two tribes setting rivalries aside, uniting to pay their respects.

The flag bore the clubs’ emblems and the national flag of Thailand in tribute to Leicester’s owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, one of five people killed in a helicopter crash near the club’s King Power Stadium last weekend.

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This was Leicester’s first match since the tragedy and the game itself felt incidental.

After a wreath was laid on the pitch, the two sides gathered around the centre circle for a minute’s silence and the usually boisterous Cardiff City Stadium fell profoundly silent. The crowd was consumed by the stillness.

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And then came the noise.

Once the game was under way, Leicester’s supporters sang in memory of their owner and roared encouragement to their players. Cardiff’s fans joined in. This was a rare, harmonious atmosphere.

On the pitch, this looked like any other match. In the stands, it was one like no other.

And after a week of tributes, Leicester provided another with a courageous victory, clinched by Demarai’s Gray’s goal, which prompted emotional celebrations that will be etched in the club’s history.

Below, we hear from fans, players and managers about the emotions on a day that few at Cardiff City Stadium will ever forget.

‘Today was hard but next week will be doubly difficult’

Di Statham, of the Foxes Trust supporters’ group, is a lifelong Leicester fan and was in the away end at Cardiff City Stadium.

It’s been a very emotional day. We didn’t know what to expect. The Cardiff fans were brilliant. In the minute’s silence, you could have heard a pin drop. We really appreciated that.

Not only the team but the whole Leicester squad came out for the minute’s silence and after the game to applaud the fans. We won for Vichai and it was nice to see some of the Cardiff fans had stayed behind after the game as well. So thank you, Cardiff fans.

Today was hard but next week [the first home game since the crash] will be even harder. It’s Remembrance Weekend as well. We always do a big thing about that, so next week is going to be doubly difficult as we remember the fallen. Going back to the scene of the accident will be difficult.

‘It was very odd trying to whip up some enthusiasm’

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Cliff Ginetta is the Leicester City Supporters’ Club chairman and was also among around 3,000 Foxes fans who travelled to Wales.

It’s been a very sad, emotional week and everyone has felt it in Leicester. The family atmosphere we’ve created has been shaken to its core, so it’s been a tough week to get through.

All credit to the lads for playing. It was very odd for the fans to get to the stadium and whip up some enthusiasm, but we had to do it for Vichai and what he did for Leicester City. They called him The Boss but he was the best boss. He was such a nice chap and he did everything for the club and the fans.

I must praise Cardiff and their fans, how they treated us before the game, giving away free food in the concourse and things like that. These things put it all in perspective.

‘I will never forget Cardiff’s gestures’

Ian Stringer has been covering Leicester City for over a decade, including their remarkable Premier League title triumph in 2016.

I’ll have a few abiding memories, and it has been emotional. I’ve never had to commentate on a game like that before in my life, and I’ve commentated on 600-odd matches.

What got me was the Cardiff City flag which moved to the Leicester City end, and then the Cardiff fans took the Leicester flag to their end. I know Cardiff lost and there’s a fallout from that with tactics and so on, but the gesture from the Cardiff fans to change flags, a flag with the Leicester City badge on it – let’s not let that pass us by.

I will never, ever forget the gestures of Cardiff City Football Club, who have been classy, dignified and magnificent.

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‘It brought a lot of emotions to the fore’

Osian Roberts has been part of Wales’ coaching staff since Gary Speed’s time in charge. Following Speed’s death in November 2011, Roberts led the team for the tribute match against Costa Rica at Cardiff City Stadium three months later. Roberts was back at the ground for Leicester’s win over Cardiff.

It was incredibly hard and days like this bring those emotions to the fore, especially in this stadium.

The players will have had a huge shock last weekend with this tragedy. And throughout the week they will have paid tribute and tried to deal with those emotions as individuals and as a group of players.

I spoke to Leicester midfielder Andy King and he said, as we’ve been hearing from the other players this week, that they wanted to put on a performance that Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha would have been proud of.

In our match here, Gary Speed’s memorial match, I remember players like Ashley Williams, the captain, coming in at half-time and saying, “I can’t move, I can’t move my legs, they’re like lead”. The emotional situation affected the players physically, they couldn’t even run around the pitch, let alone perform.

‘It was tough to prepare this game’

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Claude Puel was appointed Leicester manager by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

It was a difficult game, they did their best. We deserved to win and it is fantastic and it is for the chairman.

It was tough to prepare this game, important to find the good balance between emotion and concentration. I want to congratulate the players. Today is the first step, now we can continue.

We will have a difficult week or so. We go to Bangkok for the funeral, we come back in the middle of the week and we have a training session to prepare against Burnley. That will be our first game at home with the fans.

‘I’ve not seen anything like it really’

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Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock saw his team lose, meaning they drop into the relegation zone.

It’s been a strange week, surreal really, I’m glad it’s out of the way if I’m honest.

I was quite pleased with the players – and the fans – in the circumstances, with the respect they showed.

I can understand Leicester’s players, the closeness they had [to Vichai]. But it was so difficult for our lads too, I’ve not seen anything like it really.

We had to have a word with them before the game to remind them they had to play the game. Nobody could fault the effort really – on another day we might have got something.

‘I couldn’t steady myself, I was shaking’

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Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been at the club since 2011. He was one of the first people on the scene of the helicopter crash and was in tears during the minute’s silence before kick-off. He, along with the rest of the squad, flew to Thailand for the funeral straight after the match.

Today was difficult. Coming out for the warm-up was tough. The first 10 minutes I couldn’t steady myself, I was shaking a little bit. But it was nice to get a win to take to Thailand and hopefully we did his family proud.

It has been hard, we have tried for a few hours a day to be professional and train hard, but everyone wanted to play and win for his family. His family have been strong, the courage they have had. I feel just an overwhelming sense of pride of being part of the family that Vichai built and the extended family of Leicester City.

Everyone grieves in different ways and the opportunity was given and we wanted to go to the funeral. We are a family and wanted to pay our last respects together.

‘The build-up wasn’t easy to handle’

Cardiff centre-back Sol Bamba played in Saturday’s game. He spent the 2011-12 season with Leicester in the Championship.

Vichai was a good man. I had the chance to meet him and he is a big loss.

It was difficult for us, the whole build-up wasn’t easy to handle. But that is not an excuse, the gaffer warned us about this. Obviously we pay respects before and after, but during game we are professional.

The fans were magnificent all season, and in particular today, showing the whole football family sticks together.

‘We had to try to hold our emotions in’

Wes Morgan captained Leicester to their Premier League title triumph in 2015-16 and led the team at the Cardiff City Stadium.

You can see by our reaction at the end of the game how much we wanted to get the win and do it for the chairman.

We were very close to him. We know what his wishes were. He used to come down at home games, have a joke and a laugh, always say, “Want win and three points” and we did that today. It has not been an easy week, we had to try to hold our emotions in today and do the best we can.

We have a very emotional connection with the fans, so we stayed until the end and celebrated victory with them.

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BBC Sport – Football

'I've not seen anything like it' – fans and players reflect on a day like no other was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

'Table tennis, but not as you know it' - welcome to the world of teqball

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Ronaldinho is a whizz, Neymar’s a fan and the Chelsea team are at it in training most days.

It’s table tennis, but not as you know it.

Teqball, best described as football played on a ‘scientifically’ adapted curved ping pong table, has attracted the interest of an ensemble of world-class footballers and the sport is now aiming for Olympic inclusion.

The problem is, the majority of people don’t know it exists.

Until recently, football freestyler Ben Nuttall was one of them.

Now he is about to represent England at the World Cup in France.

“When I was at school, we’d set up a table and put bags in the middle to play header table tennis with a football,” Nuttall told BBC Sport. “I didn’t realise it was an actual sport until I got the call up.”

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The 18-year-old from Birmingham readily admits it wasn’t something he was “insane at” when introduced to the game, but as someone who holds the Guinness World Record for keepy uppies with a rugby ball he adapted quickly.

“It is harder than it looks,” he said.

“As a freestyler I already have the first touch control, balance and coordination. It took some getting used to and I had to learn the rules, but it’s fun.

“I’ve seen videos of other players, some professionals who train every day, and the quality at the World Cup is going to be high.”

How the teq do you play?

The ball must be returned to the opponent’s side onto the table by touching it a maximum of three times

The ball cannot be touched by the same body part in succession

Players win a point if the opponent fails to return the ball legally

Matches are played as the best of three sets

A set is won by the first side to win 20 points. The final set needs to be won by two clear points

Points are scored in a number of ways[1]

The World Cup has both singles and doubles competitions – open to both men and women

Since the first World Cup last year, the tournament has doubled in size with more than 40 nations going for glory in the three-day event starting on Thursday in Reims.

While it has its own world championship, teqball got its biggest exposure when Brazil players, including Neymar, Coutinho, Dani Alves and Marcelo, were filmed playing against each other during training at the 2018 World Cup.

Brazil’s former World Cup winner Ronaldinho has a table at home and has dazzled on the board[2] in a number of videos.

While teqboard tables, which cost around £2,000, can be found at Premier League bases like Chelsea’s Cobham training ground rather than at public parks and recreation halls, Nuttall said the sport has plenty of appeal.

“I can see that a lot of footballers see it as being good for training and improving their touch, but it could really grow if people start looking at it as a sport itself,” he said.

“There is talk of the Olympics in the future. That would be great.”

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Last month teqball was officially recognised as a sport by the Olympic Council of Asia. In Britain there is a push to have national governing bodies established in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The game and table design was created in Hungry by a former professional footballer who teamed up with a businessman and computer scientist.

Viktor Huszar, the scientist behind it, said it was the “peak of his football career” watching news reports which included footage of players using the table at the World Cup in Russia.

Huszar sees it as good business exposure and a “show of approval” from football royalty.

“Teqball is showing that there is a new model in the sports world, as all sports have so far been based on traditional conservative approaches,” said Huszar.

“Sports that were created a hundred years ago didn’t have the opportunities through the internet and social media to grow – we have this opportunity so we exploit it.

“The sport works because of the player and we wouldn’t have the impact we do without famous players and teams playing.

“We have been recognised as a sport just a year after setting up an international federation, other sports wait 30 years for that to happen.”

References

^ a number of ways (teqball.com)

^ dazzled on the board (www.youtube.com)

BBC Sport – Football

'Table tennis, but not as you know it' – welcome to the world of teqball was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

'Mismatch off the pitch, but not on it' - Chris Sutton on Aberdeen v Burnley

Aberdeen’s Europa League qualifier with Burnley was a “mismatch off the pitch” but “very, very close” on it, according to former Celtic striker Chris Sutton.

Sam Vokes’ 80th-minute effort gave the English Premier League side a precious away goal at Pittodrie.

But the Scottish Premiership runners-up led for much of the contest after Gary Mackay-Steven’s 19th-minute penalty.

“Nobody really gave Aberdeen a chance but this was a good advert for British football,” Sutton said.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, he added: “Pittodrie was full to the rafters. England v Scotland, the Battle of Britain, what a great advert for the game.

“We talk about the budgets, the markets that both teams work in and there are some knockers down south of the Scottish league but Aberdeen did Scotland proud.”

Aberdeen concede late to share spoils with Burnley[1]

Listen: Scottish football criticism ‘ill-informed, disrespectful and lazy’ – Sutton[2]

Last week, Aberdeen lost striker Adam Rooney after a lucrative approach English National League side Salford City.

That sparked debate over the health of the Scottish game, with Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes and Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson among those to point to the financial disparity between Scotland and lower leagues clubs in England.

Burnley, meanwhile, earned £120m from TV rights alone last season, after finishing seventh in the English Premier League compared to the £2m Aberdeen received.

And that contrast was further illustrated by the fact that Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove – who was up against England international James Tarkowski – cost just £20,000 from Carlisle.

However, Sutton – who spent six years with Celtic until 2006 – refuses to entertain reports from England of the Scottish game’s demise.

“You’ve got Hearts on the up, Hibs on the up, Steven Gerrard has gone into Rangers, you’ve got Brendan Rodgers at Celtic… the game is on the rise, attendances are on the rise. They’re smiling, they’re enjoying Scottish football. It’s not all about money.

“I don’t like the flak that flies both ways, from Scotland to England and vice-versa. They’re both good leagues in their own right, they both have things going for them.

“Why can’t we just admit that, respect each other’s leagues and get on with things?”

‘Burnley just seemed to get bigger and bigger’

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In front of a raucous capacity 20,313 crowd, Aberdeen continued a trend of draws in European games between clubs from England and Scotland.

Six of the last nine cross-border contests have not had a winner, with Celtic holding Manchester City home and away in the Champions League group stages in 2016/17, Hearts drawing on their travels against Tottenham and Liverpool in the Europa League in 2011 and 2012 respectively, and Rangers earning a Champions League point against Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2010.

McInnes thought his Aberdeen players could have won the game, having led for so long, but was content that the Pittodrie side remain in the tie.

“I’m not frustrated because Burnley were excellent in terms of asking the question in the second half,” he told BBC Radio Scotland. “It’s half time in a cup tie and we’re still in it.

“We probably put too much into the second half and it came back to bite us a bit, but when they bring players off the bench and they seem to get bigger and bigger, it’s tough.

“I know where we are in the game and we are proud of what we are. We are in a league that doesn’t allow us to compete fairly with teams like Burnley but we’ve shown we’ve got good players here.”

The second leg will be next Thursday, with the winners playing Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir in the third qualifying round.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche insisted the “game is not over”, but he was content with a draw given how his side started the game.

“We deserved to edge it but I’m not taking anything away from an Aberdeen side that certainly made it a proper game,” he told BBC Scotland.

“The atmosphere was great, fans of both sides were excellent and it felt like a real, real game.”

References

^ Aberdeen concede late to share spoils with Burnley (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Listen: Scottish football criticism ‘ill-informed, disrespectful and lazy’ – Sutton (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Scottish

'Mismatch off the pitch, but not on it' – Chris Sutton on Aberdeen v Burnley was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

I said 'go for it' - player signs for club and gets married on same day

They say your wedding day is the happiest of your life, and for new Plymouth Argyle full-back Joe Riley it proved doubly so.

The 26-year-old, who had just been on the losing side with Shrewsbury in the League One play-off final, was about to get married to his fiancee Kayleigh when he found out the Pilgrims wanted to sign him.[1]

“I had a quick check of my phone and I had a text off my agent saying Plymouth are interested,” he told BBC Devon.

“I said ‘go for it’.

And when asked what was better on his wedding day – his nuptials or the contract offer from Argyle – Riley quipped: “It was a tough call.”

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Riley began his career as a youngster at Bolton Wanderers, but after Premier League starts against Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, as well as a substitute appearance at boyhood favourites Manchester United, his progress was hampered by a succession of injuries.

A broken foot put paid to much of his second season at Bolton and he missed all of the 2013-14 campaign with knee ligament damage sustained in pre-season.[2]

He went out on loan to Oxford United, which was followed by a free transfer move to Bury in January 2015 where the full-back rebuilt a career which has seen him play almost 150 games.

“I’m just happy to be here and hopeful that it can be a successful time,” he said of his move to Home Park.

Old face as new chief executive

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Off the field, Argyle have re-appointed Michael Dunford as chief executive.

Dunford held the role between 2004 and 2009 before being made redundant during the financial problems that almost saw the club fold.

Since then he has held similar roles at Birmingham City, Crawley Town and Chesterfield and replaces Martyn Starnes who left earlier this year to become chief executive at Bristol Rovers.

“The club is certainly different to the one I left in 2009 and I have been extremely impressed with the ambition shown by chairman James Brent, vice-chairman Simon Hallett and fellow Board members,” Dunford told the club website.

“I am really looking forward to building a solid working relationship with Derek Adams, who has given all our fans hope that our on-the-field fortunes will continue to improve.”

One more new signing

Argyle manager Derek Adams says he expects to bring in a midfielder on loan as his final signing of the summer.

Adams has already brought in 10 new players this summer in all areas of the field as the club look to build on a season which saw them rise from bottom of the table to play-off contenders.

“When you come into any football club you need to have new blood, but you have to have the continuity of the ones that have done well. for you in previous seasons,” he told BBC Radio Devon.

References

^ the Pilgrims wanted to sign him. (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ knee ligament damage sustained in pre-season. (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

I said 'go for it' – player signs for club and gets married on same day was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

'I could still do it': Redknapp wants return to management

Former West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has said he would like a return to management.

The 71-year-old has been out of the game since being sacked by Birmingham City in September.[1]

Redknapp, speaking to BBC Radio Solent to mark 10 years since Pompey’s FA Cup win, said: “I could still do it. I still feel as good as ever and I wouldn’t have a problem doing it.

“Given the opportunity to go in and build a team, I know I’d do well.”

Redknapp managed Portsmouth to a 1-0 win over Cardiff City in the 2008 FA Cup final, the only trophy in his career to date.

He had two spells in charge of the Fratton Park side, leading them to promotion to the Premier League in his first stint before leaving for rivals Southampton in 2004.

After his sacking by Blues he suggested that there was “every chance”[2] that he would not manage again.

However, he defended his record at St Andrew’s, saying: “I wasn’t going to go back but I went in at Birmingham when I got a phone call with three games to go.

“They’d won one in 25 but I took the chance, took the job, won two games and kept them up.

“I came back this year, brought some players in on transfer deadline week and before I’d been given the chance to give them a game, seven games into the season I was gone. It was a crazy situation.”

Harry Redknapp was speaking to BBC Radio Solent as part of a special documentary “When Sol went up to lift the FA Cup” marking 10 years since Portsmouth won the Cup.

The one-hour special is on 11:00-12:00 BST and 18:00-19:00 BST on Thursday, 17 May, or listen again here.[3]

References

^ sacked by Birmingham City in September. (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ “every chance” (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ listen again here. (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

'I could still do it': Redknapp wants return to management was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

'His smile was worth it' - 'remote' mascot's moment of history

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“I can see it taking off. There are children like Jack all over the world who would love the opportunity to do it.”

Everton fan Jack McLinden’s mother hopes her son’s stint as club mascot – through the medium of a robot – will create the same opportunities for other youngsters with serious illness.

On Monday – just weeks after his family feared they might lose him – 14-year-old Jack became football’s first “remote” matchday mascot[1] as his beloved Toffees beat Newcastle.

“I’d have said there was no way he could ever have been a mascot but this was amazing,” said mum Michelle Wignall. “Someone said last night he had made history and that was nice.

“He could be the answer to a quiz question in years to come.”

‘His smile was so worth it’

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Memories of the call every parent dreads are fresh in the minds of Jack’s mum and dad – an urgent summons to hospital with their child in a critical condition.

Though used to their son’s ill health, they were “terrified” after receiving the news – just weeks ago – that he had become unresponsive at school and had to be resuscitated.

Jack cannot walk or talk and needs oxygen around the clock, but he is so resilient he was home within a fortnight.

That enabled him to ‘lead out’ his beloved Everton at Goodison Park, with captain Phil Jagielka carrying the robot which fed panoramic live images and sound back to Jack’s tablet a few miles away at his home in Liverpool.

“For Everton to win, and for the captain who was with him to be man of the match, it was just brilliant,” said Michelle. “It was really like he was there. He was just loving it, really loving it.”

The robot – called ‘AV1’ – was made by Norwegian firm No Isolation and was designed to help youngsters with long-term illness battle loneliness and ‘attend’ school from home.

“I had his vent and oxygen ready to connect him afterwards,” Michelle said. “His smile was so worth it. I think years ago some people thought children like Jack couldn’t live life to the fullest.

“It’s just finding a way to get around the challenges and make things possible for children like Jack.”

‘There’s only one Jack McLinden’

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Michelle said Jack could not stop smiling throughout the evening.

“It started at 5pm when he saw the kit man laying out the kits, and then he was introduced to all the other mascots,” she said.

“They took him around and showed him everything – the changing rooms and the tunnel.

“As all the players were getting off the coach he was there too; he got the full-on experience just like every mascot.

“Phil Jagielka was speaking to him, saying “come on, let’s go” as they walked onto the pitch, and he was showing him the crowd, and when he was shaking people’s hands he was introducing Jack as well.

“‘Jags’ was really involving him and it must have been difficult for him just carrying this piece of plastic but he fully embraced it and was fantastic.

“The other players were great, even the Newcastle players, and they were all joking with him.”

Jack was given a rousing reception at half-time, when the robot was carried onto the pitch again as his favourite song – On Top of the World, by American rock band Imagine Dragons – was played.

“The fans were applauding and singing ‘There’s only one Jack McLinden’,” said Michelle.

Press duties with the manager

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After the game, which Everton won 1-0 thanks to Theo Walcott’s goal, Jack got a bird’s-eye view of manager Sam Allardyce’s news conference.

“Sam carried the robot in for his press conference and it was just lovely of him,” said Michelle.

“He introduced him and at the end he thanked Jack for the 1-0 win as if it was down to Jack.

“He put him down to face the media but we moved him round to look. I think we put him off a little bit but it was nice because he knew we were still there and watching and being part of it.”

Asleep for Reds and all for the Blues

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Michelle said the evening had given her and Jack – along with his dad Lee, sister Becky, 27, and brother Sam, 17 – a lift after a difficult few months during which a collapsed lung had left him in intensive care.

Jack’s parents became aware he had health issues at just three months old, and visits to Liverpool’s Alder Hey hospital have become frequent for the Evertonian, who has a rare form of epilepsy.

Michelle added: “It’s hard for people who don’t know Jack to know he’s interacting with them, but when he’s been in hospital and the Liverpool players have come in he’s slept right through it. Or pretended to be asleep. But with Everton he’s wide awake and interacts with them.

“He’s got no speech but he can make noises or give you a big grin or a smile.”

Everton described giving the fan his matchday experience as a “privilege”.

The club’s head of engagement Scott McLeod said: “The feedback we have had from the family has been brilliant, with some really heart-warming comments coming through from football fans from all over the world.

“I know the players really enjoyed interacting with Jack through the robot and everybody here at the club would be keen to do it again.

“In fact, after the robot worked so effectively for Jack, we are looking at other ways in which we can create other virtual experiences in the near future for the fans who may otherwise not have the opportunity due to their circumstances.”

It would appear Jack will indeed lead the way.

References

^ became football’s first “remote” matchday mascot (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

'His smile was worth it' – 'remote' mascot's moment of history was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

Sectarianism in Scottish football: Neil Lennon - 'It is better now, but there is no place for it'

Hibernian boss Neil Lennon believes there are fewer incidents of sectarian chants and songs in Scottish football than in years gone by.

Match delegates employed by the Scottish Professional Football League are dismayed by a lack of action when they have reported problems.

But Northern Irishman Lennon, who has endured threats, abuse and violence during his career, thinks instances are less prevalent than previously.

“I think it is better now,” he said.

“We saw some really disturbing scenes pre-season, but in the main, I haven’t really taken huge notice of it, and normally I pick up on these things.

“The majority of supporters in the country now are supporting within the laws of the game.

Scottish football accused of sweeping sectarianism under carpet[1]

“There is no place for sectarianism anymore. It is a form of racism, and we want to kick all forms of racism out of the game completely.

“There is no place in society for it. Some people use football as a vehicle to vent their frustrations or beliefs. But not many people want to listen to it anymore.”

A bid to repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act was backed by MSPs [2]in its first full vote at Holyrood in January, with the final stages of the act to be debated on Thursday, 14 March.

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The SPFL employs delegates to help enforce league rules during matches, and identifying sectarian singing is part of that brief.

But under the current rules, if clubs can prove they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent such behaviour, they will escape any sanctions.

Lennon, 46, stopped playing international football for Northern Ireland in 2002 after a death threat, said to be from loyalist paramilitaries.

He was also the victim of a street attack in Glasgow, and was sent a parcel bomb in 2011[3] while Celtic manager.

References

^ Scottish football accused of sweeping sectarianism under carpet (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ backed by MSPs (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ sent a parcel bomb in 2011 (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Scottish

Sectarianism in Scottish football: Neil Lennon – 'It is better now, but there is no place for it' was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

'If that means natural order, I'll take it' - Lennon

Hibernian boss Neil Lennon was happy Hearts counterpart Craig Levein’s comments “came back to bite him” after his side’s 2-0 Edinburgh derby victory.

Levein was accused by Lennon of being disrespectful[1] after he claimed “natural order” had been restored following Hearts’ Scottish Cup win[2] in January.

That ended Hibs’ nine-match unbeaten derby run, but goals from Scott Allan and Jamie Maclaren put paid to Hearts.

“These things come back to bite you,” Lennon told BBC Scotland.

“If the natural order means being 12 points ahead with a game in hand, I’ll take that all the time.”

Match report: Hibernian 2-0 Heart of Midlothian[3]

Neil Lennon accuses Craig Levein of being disrespectful[4]

As well as moving well clear of their city rivals, Hibs are now 11 points ahead of fifth-placed Kilmarnock and within one of third-placed Aberdeen, who travel to Partick Thistle on Saturday.

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“We didn’t pay much attention to it,” Lennon said of Levein’s comments. “Craig said it was a bit tongue in cheek, maybe I got a bit emotional after the first game, but I’m not now. I’m very, very happy.

“It was an outstanding performance and an outstanding derby. There was a lot of quality and intensity, and a great atmosphere.

“I thought we were magnificent. We had to be patient, but you can see the psychology and mentality are growing.

“Hearts have improved, but we have improved as well. I thought at the end there was a gulf between the teams. I think the league table [5]shows there is a gulf.

“When you’re in the ascendancy you need to score and we scored a wonder goal [from Scott Allan].

“After that we really had the bit between the teeth. If [Jamie] Maclaren had scored the one against the crossbar, we could have been talking about goal of the season, but he scores a great second.

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“John McGinn was unplayable tonight but Hearts made us play well. Credit it to them and credit to our team as well.

“We’re looking up the table now. We’re a point behind Aberdeen, which is pretty good going in our first season back [in the Premiership].”

Hearts manager Craig Levein was asked if he regretted making his ‘natural order’ comments after his side failed to register a single shot on target during Friday’s game.

But he refused to give an answer as he instead lamented the defending at both goals.

He said: “Hibs played how I expected them to play and I expected us to do a little bit better on the ball. I thought we defended pretty well apart from those two situations (the goals).

“I didn’t think there was an awful lot of difference. The goals mainly. The frustration is both goals are from a throw-in. They’re avoidable.

“The game-plan was to try and find the spare man in midfield which we did really well. The problem was after that, the passes that we made, poor decision-making. But their effort was unquestionable.

“The whole thing is frustration because a lot of the things we did were good but we didn’t get anything from the match.”

References

^ disrespectful (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Hearts’ Scottish Cup win (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Match report: Hibernian 2-0 Heart of Midlothian (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Neil Lennon accuses Craig Levein of being disrespectful (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ the league table (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Scottish

'If that means natural order, I'll take it' – Lennon was originally published on 365 Football