Neil Lennon last night told Pedro Caixinha he could only have shown him more respect by bowing down and kissing his feet.

The Hibs boss claimed his Rangers rival blanked him after the stormy Ibrox clash by failing to utter a single word when they met in his office.

Caixinha demanded respect after his side’s 3-2 defeat but as Lennon spoke yesterday, the Gers boss was arguing his calls to be appreciated by the Scottish “union” were not aimed at his fellow bosses.

Pedro Caixinha and Neil Lennon
Pedro Caixinha and Neil Lennon

Lennon said: “I paid him due respect before the game. I said he came across as a gentleman, I paid Ibrox the compliment of saying it was a great amphitheatre.

“I even complimented his team’s performance after the game. So other than kiss his feet how much more respect does he want me to give him?

“That respect should have been afforded to me when we went into his office later but it clearly wasn’t.

“There was no conversation with myself or my backroom team. I’ve never experienced that before. Only Jonatan Johansson and the young fitness coach spoke to us. The manager and his backroom team spoke in Portuguese which I understand a bit of …”

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Caixinha said last weekend: “I’ve already worked in one country where there is a circle, a union. When someone new gets on the circle people start looking around. But even in a union I demand respect.”

He added yesterday: “That’s what you understood, to other managers, you understood it like that? Okay, so I wasn’t clear enough or you could not read everything I said. I never referred respect is important from managers. You’re referring that. You might explain that.”

Caixinha accused Derek McInnes of disrespecting him when the Dons boss failed to trap in his office at Pittodrie after a 3-0 defeat last season.

Caixinha tries to rally his side against Hibs

He added: “It has to do with some principles, I never referred to managers.”

However, that explanation would have cut no ice with Lennon who claimed the Portuguese breached an unspoken code by snubbing him for a chat.

The Hibs boss said: “You appear out of respect to your counterpart. Whether we’ve had a ding-dong, if there have been controversial decisions or you’re in a foul mood, you do it.

“I’ve been there myself, I know managers on the other side have felt the same as well. It can be awkward at times but there is that unwritten rule.

Hibernian manager Neil Lennon

“You go in and talk about the game or talk about life in general.

“These rules apply, especially for Old Firm games. There is an unwritten respect between managers no matter what went on before.

“I’m sure if I did the same (as Caixinha) then people would get to hear about it but I wouldn’t do that. Respect is a two-way street. If Pedro wants it then he has to give it back.”

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Caixinha declined to reflect in depth on the headlines generated by the Hibs game.

He said: “I don’t like to go back in time. If you want to visit the past get in a museum.”

Lennon was, however, delighted to have signed winger Brandon Barker on a season-long loan from Manchester City.

The 20-year-old left winger, who has been on loan at Rotherham and NAC Breda said “I can’t wait to get playing again. Hibs are a great club so I’m looking forward to it”.

Lennon said: “I think he is a very good, talented young footballer.”

Meanwhile, Hearts hitman Isma Goncalves has been cleared to face Rangers at Ibrox this weekend after winning his appeal against being sent off following an altercation with Kilmarnock’s Kirk Broadfoot last weekend.

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