Soccer:Johan Mjallby expects Neil Lennon to stay at Parkhead "for the long run" despite current speculation about the Celtic manager's future. The build-up to the home clash with Hamilton - where Kris Commons scored twice in a 2-0 win - centred on the Irishman.
He had been given 24-hour surveillance at his home after a suspicious package addressed to him was intercepted.
The incident came in the wake of the controversial midweek Old Firm Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Celtic Park which ended with Lennon clashing with Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist after the 1-0 home win which saw three visiting players sent off.
The former Northern Ireland international had bullets sent to him through the post earlier in the season and on Friday, first-team coach Alan Thompson claimed that Lennon could conceivably consider his future in the summer.
Lennon, who began a four-match touchline ban against Accies, left pre and post-match media duties to assistant Mjallby, who was more optimistic.
“He hasn’t told me that he has had enough,” he said. “He is a strong character. He is in this job for the long run. He can certainly take the pressure so I would be very surprised if that happened.
“He is upbeat, in a good state of mind and fairly happy. After Wednesday’s game all we did was concentrate on this game and he is very good at that.
“All the other stuff behind the scenes is unacceptable. I know he is probably used to it but it shouldn’t happen anyway.”
The Scottish Football Association have begun an investigation in to Wednesday’s events but Mjallby played down his own involvement in the tunnel at half-time when he appeared to clash with Rangers defender Kyle Bartley.
The former Celtic defender denied he had lost his head.
“Not at all,” he said. “Nothing happened really. There wasn’t much in it and it is done and dusted.”
Commons is also confident that Lennon will stay at Parkhead.
Asked if he feared the former Celtic skipper might come to the conclusion that he had enough of the hassle, the Scotland midfielder replied: “No. The impression that he has given us is that he is hungry, he wants to win titles, wants to win medals and he has brought in a lot of players who are striving to do that.
“He was in the dressing room before the game, at half-time and at full time so it didn’t make a massive difference today.
“It is always nice to see him on the touchline but with regards doing my job and making a contribution, that’s a personal thing and I thought I did that today. It was a good day for me. Two good goals and we got the three points so I am delighted.”
Celtic went eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the table albeit the champions have three games in hand, including the trip to St Mirren on Sunday.
Striker Gary Hooper missed the game with a knee injury and stopper Daniel Majstorovic came off at the break with a bruised toe but both are expected to be back in training this week ahead of the Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with Inverness on Sunday.
Hamilton boss Billy Reid described David Elebert’s mistake just after the break, when he passed the ball across the box straight to Commons, who drove past Tomas Cerny, as “suicidal”.
He said: “We had adapted well to the situation we were in. We set up really well and I don’t think Cerny had touched the ball before Celtic scored with a fantastic strike from Kris Commons.
“I said to the players at half-time to continue to play in the right manner. But it was suicidal to give away the second goal. It was a disaster for us. David is gutted obviously.
“He did it in the first half and I had a go at him. But he gave it straight to Kris Commons who finished expertly.”
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