Lennon hails Hoops star Maloney
Celtic captain Neil Lennon has praised the determination of Shaun Maloney to overcome serious knee injury and become a Hoops regular.
The 23-year-old, who is in the Scotland squad to face Switzerland at Hampden Park on Wednesday, suffered a serious knee injury in February 2004.
Maloney was sidelined for a year and made just three appearances last season.
The forward appeared to be on the way to Livingston or Aberdeen to continue his rehabilitation this year.
But, instead, Maloney stayed at Celtic Park where he has now become a first-team regular under Gordon Strachan.
Lennon told the club’s official website, www.celticfc.net: “I’m delighted for Shaun because if anyone has deserved this kind of success, it’s him.
“His talent is pretty obvious, but he is also a very conscientious boy and we all saw that when he was coming back from his injury problems.
“He put in an awful lot of hard work during that time and it has been great to see him reaping the rewards for it all this season.
“It is probably only now that people are beginning to see just what a good player Shaun really is and, as the season goes on, I feel he is becoming more and more important to us.”
But Lennon, 34, has also praised the contribution of new Celtic defender Mark Wilson.
The 21-year-old joined the club from Dundee United during the transfer window and made his debut – along with Dion Dublin and Roy Keane – last month.
A naturally right-sided full-back, Wilson has slotted in on the other side of the defence.
Lennon said: “The three new lads have given us a wee boost.
“Sometimes, you need that at this time of the season and each of the new signings has definitely added something to the squad.
“Young Mark Wilson, in particular, has done brilliantly, and looks right now as if he has been playing left-back for this lub his whole career.
“Given that it is not his natural position, he deserves immense credit for the way he has approached things.”
