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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

Celtic plan key Lennoxtown refit in bid to allow brittle stars to 'get to know each other'

Celtic are planning to install a socially distant relaxation area to allow players to "get to know each other".

Covid-19 regulations at the club's Lennoxtown training base have restricted opportunities for Neil Lennon 's squad to spend time together off the pitch.

The manager has admitted some of his stars are feeling brittle amid a dismal run that further sapped confidence in another 4-1 Europa League defeat to Sparta Prague on Thursday night.

And, in a bid to promote unity, the process of fitting a lounge where they can socialise safely is under way.

Players are kept apart off the pitch as much as possible and Lennon admits it's been difficult to deal with.

Celtic signed five new faces during the summer transfer window but strict rules mean traditional squad mixing is off the table for now.

And Lennon insists the club are looking at ways to adapt.

He said: "We're trying to do some refitting here at Lennoxtown to create an area where they can relax after training, a lounge area, if you want to call it that.

"We don't have that amenity at the minute and, with the way things are, dressing rooms are split up and eating times are split up.

"Sometimes they don't see each other, except when they're out on the training ground.

"That's a very difficult thing to do.

"We are looking at different ways out knitting them all together in an, obviously, socially distanced environment, so they can get to know each other and spend a bit more time together than they're doing at the minute.

"That's one area we can look to help them out with.

"In terms of the psychological side, it's just confidence.

"You can see what I'm touching on, compared to the run we had in Europe last year, a few of them are lacking a little of confidence at the minute."

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