Lennon Hints At £2.7 Million Kamara Swoop

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http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Neil-Lennon-gives-his-verdict.6235005.jp

Neil Lennon gives his verdict on loan stars' Celtic future

Published Date: 18 April 2010

By Andrew Smith

NEIL LENNON'S Celtic job prospects were supposed to have been fatally undermined by last week's abject and cataclysmic Scottish Cup loss against Ross County. No one has told the club's interim manager that, judging from the quiet authority he exuded the other day. Instead, the Northern Irishman gave every impression he will be the man ripping up and starting again where a failing squad these past two years is concerned.

Results will determine – or might have determined – that. But, in the post till the end of the season, Lennon will require to be final arbiter on predecessor Tony Mowbray's loan signings. There is no likelihood of Robbie Keane or Edson Braafheid staying beyond the end of the season but Lennon seems to have decided Diomansy Kamara has a permanent place in Glasgow. He remains in the undecided category when it comes to Landry Nguemo.

"I'm not going to tell you who (of the loans will be staying], it's not up to me, but in my opinion I think Kamara would be good enough," said Lennon, who revealed he has been asked to identify targets. "I like his attitude. He certainly wants to play. He's got pace and power, decent touch. Listen, he's played Premier League football. I like his type."

Kamara would cost £2.7 million from Fulham. Celtic must decide if they exercise a clause to keep Nguemo, which would require a £1.75m to Nancy, in a matter of weeks. The Cameroonian midfielder's form has faded badly and he has struggled to perform the back-four screener role Lennon performed superbly.

"I think he's got the potential to do that," Lennon said. "He's only 23. He had a shocker last week, but I kept faith with him because he's probably the best out of the lot for getting the ball back, but when he does he's got to pass it to a teammate.

"He's a strong wee bugger, he's determined, but I've spoken to him about his passing. He's more aware of the role now than maybe he was before.

"You expect them to put in consistent performances week after week, but they haven't yet got the experience. He hasn't convinced me, but could yet convince. He's got another four or five games to convince the club. My mind isn't made up on it yet, but it will be by the end of the season. I've no problem making that decision. We're much of a muchness, nice footballers, but we need that balance. I don't think he's been the worst performer by a long way. Once he recognises his role in the team and is given a specific job to do, he can take that on board.

"Players do tend to tail off after the Africa Cup of Nations, they get a taste of home and get a bit unsettled. Mentally and physically it's pretty demanding. There's a balance I need to find in midfield, I've got (Scott Brown] Browny, probably the most powerful and athletic, but we need more goals from central midfield."

One of the many positions the next permanent Celtic manager will require to fill, Lennon would prefer to do that by re-establishing a British and Irish core. Though the fact he sees a place for Senegalese Kamara and Nguemo demonstrates he doesn't go overboard on the fact that 20 different nationalities have featured for Celtic in this traumatic term. That said, he doesn't mind admitting he doesn't have to look even outside of Glasgow for the template.

"On the evidence of this season we do need some more British or Irish players in there who have, if not an affinity for the club, certainly an understanding of the game up here. Look at what Walter (Smith] has done. I was speaking to him and he said 'look, the first thing I ask about players is if they have the temperament, never mind the ability, to play in Glasgow?'. He's got a base of (Kenny] Miller, (Lee] McCulloch, (Kris] Boyd, (Steven] Davis and (Allan] McGregor, a spine. Domestically it's been more than enough. In Europe they've been short, but they can build on that. We've got to start by getting the domestic results right I think and taking on Europe once we've started doing that."

Cue the old chestnut about Celtic, under big bad Mowbray, let go of the right types in the January transfer window. A period that resulted in Gary Caldwell, Barry Robson and Scott McDonald doubling their wages by departing, and Stephen McManus gaining regular football through going on loan to Middlesbrough and joining up with Robson, McDonald and Chris Killen and Willo Flood. And cue a sober, sensation-free response from the astute Lennon. "It's not wishing they hadn't have left, sometimes the player wanted to go. Were they unhappy? A few will have wanted to work with Gordon (Strachan] again. Maybe you have to look at the financial side, will they be better off? You have to weigh up all those options, but those types would have been handy at the minute."