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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Jonathan McFarlane

Neil Lennon mulls Celtic 'smoke signal' instructions to combat football's new conundrum

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has admitted he's turning to dramatic measures to ensure potentially x-rated touchline instructions don't end up broadcast to the nation.

The advent of games being played without fans has lead to shouts made by players and coaching staff highly audible during broadcasts.

Sky commentators had to apologise last night after some choice language was aired during Southampton 's win over Norwich.

And BBC journalist Brian McLauchlin put it to the Hoops boss that the new normal of games behind closed doors will mean manager's touchline rants could soon become a subject of discussion amongst armchair fans.

The veteran reporter said: "You do hear everything, or you hear most of it."

A laughing Lennon admitted to concern with a jokey response playing up to the perception of the Northern Irishman as an excitable figure during games.

He told BBC Sportsound: "I might wear a mask. Or send smoke signals or something like that. Or turn the microphones off in the technical area."

(SNS Group)

While their may be drawbacks, Lennon is delighted to see football back up and running again in the UK.

He said: “I watched the English games and they were surreal. Players love playing in the big games because of the atmospheres.

“It was strange switching games and seeing one with the atmosphere pumped in and one without. The one with the noise was definitely better.

“I don’t know how that would go up here mind you!

“It will be strange. There’s not been any selfies of late but you’ll miss the banter from the crowd.

“Man City v Arsenal whetted the appetite but these games do look a bit like glorified training games at times.

“Just to have football back in some form is a real shot in the arm though.

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