FRIMPONG SURPRISES BOSS

NEIL LENNON admitted he has been taken by surprise by Jeremie Frimpong.

The 18-year-old Amsterdam-born right-back made his third first-team appearance in the 4-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie yesterday.

And the entertaining, adventurous defender added in the first-half goal blitz by claiming the second after working a neat one-two with Odsonne Edouard.

Frimpong, who joined from Manchester City on deadline day last month, has captured the imagination of the Hoops fans with his bright and breezy style following his Man-of-the-Match debut in the 5-0 Betfred League Cup quarter-final triumph over Partick Thistle.

He kept up the dazzling form in last weekend’s six-goal romp against Ross County at Parkhead and Lennon gave him the nod to face the Dons with the more experienced Hatem Abd Elhamed and Moritz Bauer on the substitutes’ bench.

The Hoops gaffer, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “He is a good player. We see him as an emerging talent.

“He has probably made that progression a little quicker than what we expected.

“But it is difficult to keep him out of the team at the minute with the way he is playing. Not just his enthusiasm and his energy, it is his quality as well and his defensive capabilities.

“They were all in evidence again. He followed up a great performance last week with another tremendous performance today.”

Lennon had a problem over the No.2 position when Mikael Lustig and back-up Cristian Gamboa left at the end of their contracts in the summer.

Now he has Frimpong, Elhamed and Bauer battling to face St Mirren in the Premiership game at Parkhead on Wednesday night.