LENNY’S PLANS FOR EDOUARD

NEIL LENNON is planning a face-to-face crunch meeting with Odsonne Edouard.

The Celtic striker, the champions’ top scorer with 28 goals last season, has failed to spark in this crucial campaign and has claimed a mere six strikes, as CQN reported earlier this week.

Edouard’s form has dipped to the point he is no longer an automatic first-team choice and he was started the game against Motherwell at Fir Park on the substitutes’ bench a fortnight ago.

However, the club’s record signing at £9million from Paris Saint-Germain in June 2018 showed some of his true form while on duty for the France Under-21 side in Caen at the weekend when he scored two goals in a sparkling performance in their 3-1 win over Switzerland to earn a place in next summer’s finals.

Lennon, who is preparing his squad for tomorrow afternoon’s Premiership encounter against Hibs at Easter Road, is hoping for his frontline maverick to replicate that showing for the Hoops and, speaking to The Scotsman, said: “Listen, he’s a human being, he’s still young at 22 and there has been a lot of interest or speculation – whatever you want to call it – about him and there’s no question that it affected him and his performances.

“When he comes back we’ll sit down, have a good discussion with him and, hopefully, he’ll kick on and get back to his best.

“What we have with Odsonne is an outstanding, talented player and it’s up to us now to try and get the best out of him again.

“There are huge games coming up, ones in which he can inspire the team. We know what he’s capable of and we understand why his recent form hasn’t been as good.”

The Parkhead gaffer added: “We’re hoping he can settle down again. He knows he’s loved here – by his team-mates, the backroom staff and the fans – and he can get back to doing what he does best and that is playing some remarkable football.

“Of course, it’s also in his own best interests to knuckle down and get back to playing the way he can.”