Where does Neil Lennon go from here after Hibs slap boss with suspension?

AN explosive few days for Hibs will be bookmarked by the club’s return to action in the Premiership at St Mirren Park this afternoon.

There, against a backdrop of whispered claims, counter-claims and allegations, assistant coach Grant Murray and Head of Academy Coaching, Eddie May, will lead the visitors in the absence of Neil Lennon and Garry Parker.

The last two named were placed under suspension by the Edinburgh outfit on Friday night, as part of the fallout from two incendiary meetings at the East Mains Training Centre in East Lothian earlier that day.

With both Lennon himself and Hibs understood to have already sought legal advice on the matter, neither has gone public with their version of the events.

Certain facts, however, are clear.

The first meeting, in the early afternoon, was a special summit called by Lennon to go back over the club’s game on Wednesday night, the disappointing 1-0 loss to Motherwell at Fir Park.

Present were the players, Lennon himself and several members of his coaching staff: Garry Parker, who has also been suspended, Lee Makel, Eddie May, Grant Murray and Alan Combe.

A frank exchange of views then followed between all parties, at which the contributions of certain players was questioned.

That various points were made and that after the staff left, the meeting continued between the players themselves, does not appear to be in dispute.

The actual tone and content of the comments, however, does.

For the second meeting of the day, which took place between Lennon, Parker and Hibs chief executive, Leeann Dempster, had originally been pencilled in as a discussion about the transfer window, but ended up as a discussion about the first meeting.

It is understood that there, the two coaches were informed they were both being suspended for shouting and swearing at players, specifically one individual who had been upset.

Also that the pair protested their innocence, and continue to do so, with the discussion again becoming animated.

When it broke up, Dempster found herself in the immediate position of having to find someone to take charge of the team.

And, in the longer term, to how best handle a situation involving one of the country’s most-controversial characters.

Lennon, the 47-year-old Northern Irishman, is an intelligent man and a football expert, who has never been afraid to speak his mind.

Back in May, in what was a startling post-match interview he branded his Hibs players “amateur” and “unprofessional” – a reference to some of the players’ choice of footwear – following the derby loss to Hearts. Clearly moved, he stated then that he might have to considering quitting as manager in the summer.

That, of course, did not come to pass. But the fact that, eight months on, the parties find themselves in the situation they do suggests a lingering feeling of resentment in some quarters.

Hibs’ defeat at Tynecastle back in May ended their hopes of capping a season in which fans had often been thrilled by their team’s brand of attacking football by finishing as runners-up.

And with this season’s campaign underwhelming to say the least – yesterday morning they sat eighth in the Premiership table – Lennon has made no secret of his frustration.

Just before Christmas, he gave star striker Florian Kamberi a public dressing down when accusing him of “a lack of hunger.”

The Swiss was obviously unimpressed, because in January, he responded by stating in an interview that he felt he had been working hard enough and putting his body on the line for the team, a claim not exactly supported by his record at the time of having hit just one goal in his previous 11 games.

The January transfer window, due to close this week, appears to have also been the subject of some disagreement between the board and the manager.

The former’s stance is that they have made every effort to accommodate within reason while the coaching staff have argued – right up to and including yesterday’s meeting with Dempster – that a combination of an influx of new players and a mini-clear out is required.

Now that is likely to be someone else’s issue to sort out with a parting of the ways appearing inevitable.

Fans were yesterday already speculating on likely contenders to be in charge next with some interesting names being bandied about.

Steve Clarke, the Kilmarnock boss is a popular choice, but one who might well be forgiven for having loftier ambitions given his success at Rugby Park.

The possibility of ex-Rangers manager Mark Warburton fancying a return to Scotland likewise seems far-fetched.

More realistic options maybe would be Livingston’s Gary Holt or an emotional return for Alan Stubbs, who ended Hibs 114-year wait to get their hands on the Scottish Cup when leading them to Hampden glory in 2016.