Celtic manager Neil Lennon fed up after latest European failure

Neil Lennon has described Celtic's Europa League exit on Thursday as the sorest point of his career, with the manager issuing a stinging criticism of his team's showing against Utrecht. The Celtic manager watched in horror as a 4-0 defeat in Holland wiped out a 2-0 first-leg victory for his team. As Celtic's captain, he became accustomed to poor away European form but this latest setback proved harder to take. "I can't defend the indefensible at times, and I'm not going to this time," Lennon said. "It's as sore a one as I've ever felt. I'm fed up coming back from Europe with my back side being smacked, and it has happened again." Lennon's future, of course, is intrinsically linked to Celtic's showings this season with the manager operating on a one-year contract. He added: "There is not a lot I can do about it until next season — if I am still here — and now we just have to go at it on every front domestically and build a team that hopefully can compete on a domestic level and hopefully be better for next year." Lennon held clear-the-air talks with his squad yesterday, in a bid to find a reason for Thursday night's collapse. "I don't mind a bit of conflict in the dressing room," he said. "It's good as long as it doesn't spill over into physical stuff. I don't mind them getting upset with each other." Celtic still hope to coax Robbie Keane to Glasgow from Tottenham, although Lennon has admitted the Republic of Ireland striker has shown no inclination that he would relish such a move. "He hasn't offered any sort of signs that he'd like to come back," said Lennon of Keane. "But he is always welcome here. We will just keep working away at things until the transfer window shuts." One player left Parkhead yesterday, with Marc-Antoine Fortuné joining West Bromwich Albion in a £2.5m deal.