Neil Lennon comments on uncertainty, SFA look cowardly

I would not pay too much attention to Neil Lennon’s comments about the squad not needing “much rebuilding, if at all.”  What he said about the prevailing uncertainty among all clubs is more revealing.

Celtic’s income will suffer next season in line with the rest of the industry, but Neil and the club will know that unique opportunities will open up with the transfer window.  Player valuations and wage offers will be down across the board.  Celtic are solvent, we should make this one of our busiest windows.

On receiving new evidence in 2018, an SFA Judicial Panel came to the conclusion that it did not have jurisdiction to determine whether Rangers’ 2011 Uefa licence was properly applied for and granted, and that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was the competent body.  Celtic were denied a Champions League qualification place as a consequence of this application.

After a two-year delay, the SFA yesterday announced they would not refer the matter to CAS “following consideration of the implications of such a referral”.

It may be the implications are irrelevant as the club went into liquidation in 2012, or it may be the implications are so great, Scottish football would be thrown into a whole new trauma.  This is not analogous of the SPFL declining to submit to a second investigation two weeks after Deloittes did exactly the same thing.

On that matter, Neil Doncaster explained himself in great detail and was examined by the media.  The SFA have given no explanation.  From the outside, it looks like a cowardly reaction to the treatment the SPFL board endured in recent weeks.