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| | Tuesday, 27 February, 2001, 10:53 GMT Lennon upset by controversy  Neil Lennon says media coverage has been upsetting Northern Ireland midfielder Neil Lennon has expressed his anger over media coverage of alleged death threats made against him. Lennon has been the subject of a sectarian hate campaign after moving from Leicester City to Celtic earlier in the season. On Wednesday, Lennon is due to play his first match for Northern Ireland since his big money transfer when Sammy McIlroy's side play Norway in a friendly (Windsor Park 2000GMT). "It does hurt, some of the things I have seen and read," Lennon said.
"It was a big decision for me to come over for the game. "But I could not let the controversy get in the way of my international career. "I know there are a lot of good Northern Ireland fans out there who have written me letters of encouragement. "It is only a minority who want to make trouble."
Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy called on fans to get behind the team. "I am obviously shocked," McIlroy said on Monday. "It is serious for everyone concerned with Neil. "Hopefully it is just a hoax, people just getting wound up, maybe after a few drinks. "We do not want anything like that. "The Windsor Park crowd have been magnificent since I took over and I want to keep that going." Minister appalled The IFA have expressed concern about the situation. Their community relations officer Michael Boyd said he was worried about sectarian chanting being directed towards the Celtic star. "If he does get verbal abuse, I think it will really set us back," said Boyd.
"Not just from a community relations point of view, but from sponsorship deals and the general image of Northern Ireland football. "We have made a lot of progress but this could really take away from all the work the IFA have done." The IFA faced a similar problem in the early 1990s when Celtic defender Anton Rogan played for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland sports minister Michael McGimpsey said he was appalled by the reported threats to Lennon. "This type of thuggery has absolutely no place in sport," said McGimpsey. "To fail to condemn it is to fail to support our international team. "We do not need, nor do we want, this sort of behaviour, especially at a time when the entire football family is pulling together for the future well-being of the game." | | See also:  Other top Northern Ireland stories: Links to top Northern Ireland stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||
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