LET’S KICK ON

Lennon requires Celts f inal win to ignite a new era

NEIL LENNON insists winning a quadruple Treble at Hampden this afternoon will not spell the end of the road for his Celtic team, despite their run of domestic dominance being over.

Instead, he hopes it will be the catalyst to recover their 10-in-a-row hopes.

A triumph over Hearts would be Celtic’s 12th straight domestic trophy — and Lennon’s fifth as manager — but with their Betfred Cup exit to Ross County last month, even that victory will mark the end of a remarkable era.

The manager, however, fighting for his job to continue beyond the January 2 match with Rangers in a faltering Premiership campaign, is determined today’s game will not be the full stop at the end of his squad’s story, just a comma.

‘There’s still a lot to play for,’ he insisted, when asked if it was the end of the road, win or lose.

‘There’s the chance to win 10 in a row, there’s the chance to win another cup at the end of this

season. Now we’re out of the League Cup, there’s that feeling of wanting it even more.

‘We’ll go into the game with a real positive mindset and that will to win.

‘It’s not as if, if we don’t win on Sunday, the world stops. You go again on Wednesday against Ross County. We just keep that focus.

‘A lot of them have won three Trebles and they don’t take it for granted. We know how difficult it is to win a trophy.

‘They’ve done brilliantly and that’s why it has been so remarkable. I think because they’ve done it that many times, other people just take it for granted.’

The circumstances surrounding a possible history-making moment may be bizarre, but Lennon is adamant the occasion will get the celebration it merits if Celtic win.

Nine months on from last season ‘ending’, its final blow will be struck today, and it could result in the manager — officially given the job in the dressing room in the wake of their last Scottish Cup final victory over Hearts 18 months ago — joining Jock Stein, Martin O’Neill and Brendan Rodgers on the list of Treblewinning bosses.

He would also become the first ever to have done it as a player and manager.

‘It would feel different,’ he admitted, contemplating the empty stadium and the potential lack of euphoria, ‘but the significance of what lies ahead is not something we are underestimating.

‘First of all, this final is not a foregone conclusion.

‘Hearts are in good form and have a team packed full of Premiership and international players. We aren’t taking anything for granted.

‘In terms of preparation, it has been a good week. We haven’t had a midweek game to think about, so it’s been plain sailing. The Scottish Cup final is never in December but our preparations from previous seasons haven’t changed.

‘We have had League Cup finals at this time of the year in the past few seasons, so there is almost a routine to it. A lot of work goes into it but we have tried to keep a lid on things as we prepare for a very difficult game.’

Lennon has played his cards close to his chest on team selection, particularly surrounding the potential return of captain Scott Brown into a winning team.

But he insists he is also keeping his options open for the No1 spot. All three of his goalkeepers have played in the past month, but with £5million Greek Vasilis Barkas out of favour and Scott Bain not convincing, 22-year-old Conor Hazard is in possession of the jersey after two impressive shows in wins over Lille and Kilmarnock.

And that, despite his inexperience, may yet see him start today.

‘Connor will come into our thinking for the No1 position,’ said Lennon. ‘I have a decision to make on a couple of positions but we are nearly there on what we want in terms of the team.’