Wotte a joke

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MARK WOTTE has told Neil Lennon to get his facts right before criticising the SFAâ??s youth set-up.

 

Celtic boss Lennon had questioned Wotteâ??s youth development scheme, claiming a panel of ex-pros should take the Scottish game forward instead.

 

Wotte revealed he set up a group like that SIX MONTHS ago â?? including Hoops youth chief Chris McCart.

 

Wotte said: â??You had Neil Lennon saying we needed a panel of coaches â?? well, we already have a panel!

 

â??John Collins, Steven Pressley, Chris McCart, Frankie McAvoy, Kenny Shiels, plus three or four of my staff are there. Thatâ??s a proper panel. Lennon said it was about time the SFA had a panel of ex-players and coaches who could sit down and try to sort out Scottish football.

 

â??It was a very easy shout, but he was not even aware Celticâ??s head of youth was on our panel. I was stunned by this. Maybe he was not aware of it, but six months ago I set up this performance panel because I need feedback on the Scottish game. I just brainstorm with these guys and we are looking at setting up regional academies. We talk about lots of subjects.â?

 

Lennon blasted Scotlandâ??s failings after the dismal 2-0 defeat to Serbia last month.

 

The Hoops boss insisted Gordon Strachanâ??s players had to get rid of their egos, with the current generation lacking the HUNGER to be successful.

 

At the time Lennon said: â??Itâ??s about time the SFA called a few managers, ex-players and a few youth development people in and said: â??Is there a template here we can work from to make things betterâ???

 

Wotte hit back: â??If Chris McCart had said it I would have been more hurt because he is involved at youth level and is an expert.

 

â??Not every first-team manager knows what is going on at youth level. Celtic have an academy where kids get up at 6.30am for breakfast, they train every day and also go to school so you cannot say they are lazy.

 

â??Maybe he is talking about guys already at first-team level, because I donâ??t see it with the ones coming through now.

 

â??Lennon also said there is too much talk about facilities and said Victor Wanyama had no facilities growing up but in Kenya the sun always shines.

 

â??We have four months of rain and snow and we need better facilities and more 3G pitches.

 

â??I appreciate his comments and Iâ??m sure he did not have bad intentions but others need to educate themselves about what is going on.â?

 

Wotte has also been involved in a Twitter debate with Steve Archibald who questioned his youth set-up.

 

Wotte added: â??I donâ??t know Steve but I know he was the manager of Airdrie, and he brought in a lot of Spanish guys which was not helpful to the Scottish game.â?

 

The Sun