Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon has said that he has serious concerns about the fixture schedule and the effects of a stop-start programme of games.

Lennon is preparing his players for the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle, which will be his side's third game in October. After an international break and a weekend in which a game was postponed because opponents Rangers were in the League Cup semi-final, the coach feels the disruption is damaging.

"My concern at the minute is that we're undercooked," he said when asked about his team's readiness for the derby.

"I know it sounds a bit rich coming from a manager about a lack of football but this is only our second game since the 5th of October.

"So the only thing that worries me is rigor mortis setting into the squad because it's just ridiculous. We had one game against Hamilton, then a two week break which is not ideal because you're playing well, then you go to Celtic Park and have another ten day break whereas other teams are playing four games in the month.

"It's the balance of getting the training right, and the freshness, and trying to keep them up to match fitness levels which is very difficult.

"Then, in December, it's concertinaed into eight games in four weeks. It's absolutely criminal.

"The other thing is that this is a block of five games where this is our fourth one away. I've never come across that before.

"It's difficult and we'll adapt but it's just not right. It needs looking at. As a manager it's almost impossible to prepare for."

Lennon admitted he hadn't raised the issue with the SPFL but said that he had spoken about it publicly and that league secretary Ian Blair should be well aware of his feelings.

"I'm sure Ian reads the papers and sees the TV so he can give me a call any time he likes," he said. "I'm sure it's difficult for Ian trying to keep everybody happy but I just think we're in a very difficult position when it comes to the fixtures at this period of time. Whether it be circumstantial or not.

"How do you get any continuity going? How do you get any fluency going?"