NEIL Lennon is a notoriously bad sleeper at the best of times and so it’s fair to assume he spent the early hours of Thursday morning staring at his ceiling.

There must have been an awful lot going through a mind which is rarely at peace.

Newspapers love words such as “explosive” and “sensational” in their description of a football person talking about, erm, football, but the Hibernian manager’s after-match press conference at Tynecastle deserved such hyperbole.

Read more: Neil Lennon will quit Hibernian unless his demands are met

But beating Brendan Rodgers to the PFA Scotland manager of the year award was another feather in the cap. And the chance to succeed Mick McCarthy at one of the more storied English club sides could well be a different proposition altogether.

Nobody expected Lennon to be in a good mood. His team had lost a derby and the chance to finish second and realistically even third. But what happened next shocked all of us.

As Lennon sat down, a conversation was taking place between the Hibs press officer and Sunday newspaper journalists about a player being made available for them to speak to about the upcoming game against Rangers.

“They don’t deserve to speak to you after that,” said a stony-faced Lennon. For a second, I wondered what my Sunday colleagues has done to annoy him – I’m a bit slow – and then realised he was about to go off on one.

And when he dropped of the bombshell of ‘reviewing his position over the summer’ a clarification was sought because none of us could quite believe what we were hearing.

Lennon criticised Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson (although not by name), his budget for next season and this one, which he claimed not to know, Dylan McGeouch earned a derisory mention because he is going to leave for nothing in the next window in a rant which was delivered in an almost reserved manner. He just about stayed in control.

Read more: Steven Thompson: Neil Lennon’s remarks over the top, Hibs are only just up​

This has been bubbling away for a while. The Northern Irishman is greatly concerned about where he can take a team without McGeouch, John McGinn, a certainty to be sold, and there is Scott Allan, Brandon Barker, Florian Kamberi and Jamie Maclaren who are on loan and it’s entirely feasible all four could go back to their parent clubs.

Even if the sale of McGinn raises £5m, Lennon fears that won’t be enough to replace such talent

These are legitimate concerns but it felt on Wednesday night, and even more with the hindsight, he was overly harsh on a group of players that have over-achieved this season. Hibs can play far better than they did against Hearts but it was hardly a shocker. Had they scored at the end, few could have begrudged them a point.

To brand any footballer unprofessional is a serious accusation, especially by their manager who works with them every day. It makes me wonder whether, as Lennon lay awake, he regretted using such strong language.

Did he make a mistake playing two wingers on such a tight pitch? Did he go over his comments about budgets and a lack of a target for next season.?

I wonder what Leeann Dempster, his boss and a supporter of Lennon, made if it all. She couldn’t have been happy with him gesturing to the Hearts fans as he walked off the pitch.

Read more: Neil Lennon will quit Hibernian unless his demands are met

In saying that, the abuse Lennon had to endure from the home support, and my seat was right behind the Hibs dugout, was dreadful. Why is it deemed acceptable for grown men top hurl vile insults at a fellow human being who ‘crime’ is to represent a football club they do not follow?

Lennon in the cold light of day may feel he overstepped the mark. There were players in the dressing room, I am told, who were seriously unhappy with their manager’s remarks.

When that red mist comes down there is no stopping him and just maybe he has taken Hibs as far as he can.

However, Leith and Lennon still seem a good fit. Hibs have been great for the Premiership this season and I hope the board backs his ambition.

Lennon is a complex character, which is not to say he is not a good guy. Because he is. He’s funny, articulate, smart and without pretension. He can be all emotion at times but there is an honesty about him which is hard not to like. He’s also kind. Take that from someone who has been a recipient of his kindness. A story for another time.

There have been moments off the field which did him no favours, however, he is a million miles from the Bad Lenny image.

My guess is his rant was calculated. He was letting everyone know his fears about where Hibs are going - although it could be argued he chose the wrong moment

Now 46, he’s not going to change. He is fiery, argumentative and unafraid to say what he’s thinking, and for that we should be grateful.

There are times when I look at him and think: “Lenny, count to ten.” But this relentless drive for perfection is what makes him a winner.

Lennon might be in the bad books but remains the best man for Hibs. He spoke of the squad needing surgery. The Easter Road board would be well advised to give him the tools to operate with.