Neil Lennon: I treated Oliver Burke 'too well at times'

Earlier this week, Baggies technical director Luke Dowling issued a furious criticism of Burke's treatment under Lennon while on loan at Celtic.

Dowling said: "They know what’s gone on and Oli certainly knows what’s gone on. It’s just something we’re not happy with at all."

Celtic issued an official statement soon after, branding his comments 'ridiculous', and now Lennon has had his say too.

He reckons Dowling's comments were 'unprofessional and unjustified' and that any issues should have been dealt with privately.

"We treated him very well," Lennon told Sky Sports. "He played a lot of games.

"Maybe in hindsight I was too good in treating him too well at times, compared to the rest of the group.

"I have no idea where this sort of tirade has come from. This could have been dealt with privately and professionally.

"As a club we have to defend ourselves robustly because it is totally unacceptable."

Lennon claims nothing was said to either him or Celtic prior to Dowling's public criticism.

"Without any communication beforehand, the person has come out and publicly condemned the club and myself," he said.

"I think it is unprofessional and totally unjustified as well.

"I don't know where the justification for those comments came from. Obviously we were very robust in our response.

"I don't know who the individual was who was criticising either my style of management or the club in the treatment of Oli Burke.

"But there is just no foundation or evidence for that whatsoever."