Lennon balked at the idea of a play-off to decide the league champions

Celtic boss Neil Lennon insists he would be willing to play four games in eight days to avoid the Scottish Premier League season being extended.

SPL chiefs have not ruled out a longer season if the winter call-offs continue but Lennon is against the idea.

The Celtic manager also described proposals for a top-of-the-table play-off system as "ludicrous nonsense".

"I don't see any reason why it should be extended," said Lennon. "If we have to play four games in a week, we will."

Rangers manager Walter Smith has already said he feels the SPL cannot extend the season after refusing to do so when his side reached the final of the Uefa Cup in 2008, and Lennon insists it would require discussion between all of the league's member clubs to approve.

From my point of view, it's one of the most silly ideas I've heard in the last few weeks Celtic manager Neil Lennon on the idea of SPL play-offs

"If the eventuality comes along, all the clubs would have to sit down and discuss it," said Lennon.

"It's going to be an interesting run-in, because of the pile-up.

"The beauty of it is that's there's a freshness about my squad because they've had an enforced lay-off.

"It'll be interesting to see how they react to that over the next five or six games, because we have a lot of important games coming up."

Meanwhile, Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson has said he supports the idea of introducing a top-four play-off system to the SPL as part of the reconstruction talks.

The proposal would potentially result in a showpiece final at Hampden at the end of the season to determine the outright winner of the championship title, no matter which club had finished first.

However, Lennon balked at the idea and branded it one of the worst he had heard since news of league restructuring emerged.

"I don't think that's fair at all," said Lennon. "I think it's absolutely ludicrous.

"I saw the headlines and I didn't even bother reading them, because I think it's a piece of nonsense.

"If you look at the gap between first and third or fourth, it's quite big.

"So, basically, you're saying your season goes down to two or three games at the end of the season, which is absolute rubbish.

"(Play-offs for European slots) might create a bit of an interest, but certainly for the championship it's an absolute no-no.

"I don't know how it would affect the co-efficient, as there's a possibility you wouldn't have the two most consistent teams going into the Europa League, and we're always talking about how we can improve the co-efficient. I don't think that would improve the co-efficient.

"From my point of view, it's one of the most silly ideas I've heard in the last few weeks."

Meanwhile, Lennon confirmed that Celtic will lose Ki Sung-Yeung and Cha Du-Ri for a month from Boxing Day, when they line up for South Korea in the Asian Cup.

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