Neiil Lennon wants to concentrate on the football agenda rather than going over old ground

Johan Mjallby Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon continued to steer clear of the media spotlight ahead of the Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at Inverness on Sunday. Lennon has not made himself available for pre or post-match briefings since the controversial Scottish Cup fifth-round replay win over Rangers. Both Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist were charged with misconduct by the SFA with Lennon handed an automatic four-game touchline ban, due to a previous charge of misconduct, and McCoist a two-game touchline ban. Lennon is currently serving a four-game ban after being sent to the stand at Tynecastle last November.

First-team coach Alan Thompson and assistant manager Johan Mjallby have stepped into the 'meet the media' role on a shared basis. Today it was Mjallby who spoke to the presses at Lennoxtown ahead of the trip to the Highlands. The former Celtic defender said: "Neil is in a good mood. He just feels that he has been in the limelight and been the focus of the off-field circumstances so he wants the focus to be on football and the team. That is why I am taking the press conference today. I think you will see him back very soon. He is a strong character. I don't think it is difficult at all for him but I think he wants to focus on the team and on the players because, even if he is to be suspended, he is still the main man and that doesn't change the dynamics."