Neil Lennon has joked that Gary Hooper's fitness levels are WORSE than Alan Brazil's at the moment after making the move to Cyprus to join Neil Lennon.
The former Celtic striker is the latest former SPFL star to make the move to Omonia Nicosia after former Rangers and Hibs star Brandon Barker and ex-Hoops defender Adam Matthews made the switch to join Lennon in his new adventure. The Hoops hero and his troops face a big task tonight in the Europa League as they face English giants Manchester United in Cyprus. The duo then go head to head next week in the return at Old Trafford.
Lennon's priority is the league and challenging for the Champions League qualifiers as he hailed the 'absolutely brilliant' impact Adam Matthews has made. Barker also scored an important Europa League qualifying goal with Lennon certain Hooper will be an asset once he finds his fitness and is properly up and running.
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Talking on talkSPORT, he said: "I'll assess everything at the end of the season.
"The priority is the championship, to challenge for the Champions League qualifiers.
"The league is the priority. We won the cup last season which was a brilliant feeling, to win a trophy away in another country.
"I'm really enjoying working with these players.
"I've got a few British boys here. Brandon Barker from Rangers, Adam Matthews. Matthews has done absolutely brilliantly.
"I took my old mate [Gary] Hooper, who we talked about Ally. We just need to get him a little bit fitter.
"He's just slightly heavier than Alan at the minute!
"He's fine, once we can get him up and running.
"We're going to play through the World Cup and a couple of the players will be going away so Gary, he didn't do a pre-season, we're hoping to get him fit in the next couple of weeks.
"He'll be an asset as well."
Brazil took it all in good humour as he replied joking: "And them Hoops don't help, do they?"
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