Celtic: Neil Lennon says it is 'evident' crowd return is behind return to form

Former manager Neil Lennon says it is "evident" that having supporters back in stadiums has been crucial in inspiring Celtic's revival in form.

Lennon also revealed that striker Odsonne Edouard has made it clear he wanted to leave last summer.

"I always believed the return of fans would bring the buzz back," he says.

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"Not only to the club but the players. I think that's what's evident now."

After a run of three games without a win, Celtic have won their last five - scoring 16 goals in the process - under new boss Ange Postecoglou.

However, does not buy into the suggestion that the change in the dugout is a factor in that.

"I take exception to the theory that they weren't playing for me and now they're playing for Ange," Lennon tells BBC Radio Scotland's Football Breakfast Show.

"Because the year before for me they were incredible - we beat Lazio and won a treble - but, when the lockdown came, it affected the players differently.

"We were in the midst of a pandemic. Players were coming into the club after being sold that Glasgow was a great city, there would be big crowds and a nice social life. They had none of that."

Lennon states that it was not an issue of players not trying for him last term, but some had their heads turned amid transfer interest from elsewhere.

One of those players was French striker Edouard, who Lennon says made clear he wanted away.

"You could tell in the pre-season when we went to France that his body language wasn't with us," the former Celtic captain adds.

"I think he was of the mindset with his representatives that a move was in the offing. He had scored 28 goals up until March [2020].

"He was sought after by everyone, then the pandemic came. We had one bid for Odsonne in the summer of last year, but it was nowhere near the valuation of the player."