YOU’LL NEVER SEE IT AGAIN
against Jambos at Hampden, it’s something which may never happen again in Scottish football.
Lennon said: “People will have their own sort of opinions on it.
“I just think you’ll never see it again, although I suppose you could say that about 10-in-a-row as well.
“We are just taking this game in isolation. We want to finish off all our work from last season against a very good Hearts side who will have their own motivations and will want to avenge what happened in the last final.
“They are on a good run which means they will come into the game confident off the back of a great win in the semi-final.
“So we’re not taking it for granted that we’re going to win.
“Winning games is hard and winning trophies is a very difficult thing to do.
“The players here have done it very well over the piece. We are just looking for another big performance from them.
“It’s important to the people at the club, to the players, to the staff at Lennoxtown and at the stadium. I’m pretty sure and confident that it was always important to the majority of Cel t i c supporters.
“The Scottish Cup is a very prestigious trophy and we want to add another one to our list but it won’t be easy.
“It ’s real ly strange having a Scottish Cup Final at this stage of the season. Our preparations are pretty similar as if it was a League Cup Final, which the players have been tuned into for the last three or four years.”
Lennon wants it for his club and won’t think beyond the 90 minutes to a potentially historic personal achievement.
He added: “It would be hard for me to put into words really. Ask me on Sunday if I’ve achieved it.
“I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. We have to win a cup final.
“I don’t know if you are judged onTrebles. I mean, Gordon Strachan, he didn’t win a Treble and he’s remembered fondly for the Champions League and winning titles.
“But if you are then so be it. And hopefully I can put one to my CV.
“It would mean a helluva lot but, again, it’s not about me. I’m only as good as my players and they have been amazing.
“We have to be wary of making sure that we are at our best. If we’re not right then anything can happen.
“If we prevail then I will let you know how I feel after that.”
Lennon joined Celtic as a player in December 2000 and said: “It has been a fantastic 20 years. A blessing and a privilege.
“You couldn’t have envisaged how it would pan out. It has been incredible. I don’t take it lightly. We work tirelessly to maintain the successful standards the club has set.
“It’s unbelievable and I don’t want it to end. I want it to keep going. We are driven and galvanised.”
Lennon knows Hearts are desperate to win and Rangers’ League Cup loss to St Mirren in midweek proves the tag of being favourites in any cup tie can count for nothing.
The Celtic boss said: “That’s what makes this run that we’ve been on through the last three or four years absolutely remarkable. We’re now in another final and we’re hell-bent on winning it.”
Lennon is still pondering his team but said: “There will be no sentimentality or anything like that. We’re going to pick a team to win the game.
“We might have to make a decision on one position.”