Neil Lennon and his side will be taking the stage at Tynecastle today and he fully expects a typically "spicy" encounter for the final league game of the season. The plan is that Celtic will head along the M8 with the three points after winning their eighth successive win in the SPL to bolster Lennon's hopes of getting the job on a permanent basis. He remembers well how well he was received in Edinburgh when he played as Celtic captain. The Northern Irishman was a less than popular figure when he was a player at Tynecastle but he thrived in the hostile Gorgie atmosphere and hopes for more of the same today.
Lennon said: "Spicy? Yes, I'm sure I will get as good a reception as I did as a player. But I had some good fun there and some cracking games as well. Tynecastle is a throwback. The fans are right on top and the noise is tremendous. It's one of my favourite away venues actually in terms of atmosphere and in 2006 Hearts had a good go at it and finished second in the table. There was always a bit of an edge to the games. I'm sure Sunday will be no different and I'm sure Jim Jefferies will have them stoked up. I want to finish the season as well as we can. The players can play with a bit of freedom. The shackles are off. We will have a big support and the players owe it to the fans to finish with a win. The players will go there with a real positive frame of mind."
Parkhead defender Darren O'Dea is also expecting a tough encounter with the Tynecastle side despite it being the last game of the season. The Irishman said: "It's always a battle there. The atmosphere can be hostile at times which is good, but it will be a very tough game and we will need to do well to get something from it." Celtic fans could get another glimpse of teenage striker James Forrest, who scored a debut goal against Motherwell at Parkhead last Saturday. Lennon said: "There will be kids in the squad, there is no doubt about that. I want them to be in and around after the season some of them have had. Forrest will definitely come into the equation. Ritchie Towell and James Keatings will travel with the squad. Whether they make the bench or not is another thing. The starting XI will probably be as strong as we can put out."
Neil Lennon and his side will be taking the stage at Tynecastle today and he fully expects a typically "spicy" encounter for the final league game of the season. The plan is that Celtic will head along the M8 with the three points after winning their eighth successive win in the SPL to bolster Lennon's hopes of getting the job on a permanent basis. He remembers well how well he was received in Edinburgh when he played as Celtic captain. The Northern Irishman was a less than popular figure when he was a player at Tynecastle but he thrived in the hostile Gorgie atmosphere and hopes for more of the same today.