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Saturday 18th March 2006

Match Preview - CIS Insurance Cup Final 2006

Celtic Manager, Gordon Strachan, is hoping that The CIS Insurance Cup Final will be a fitting tribute to Jimmy Johnstone

Celtic Manager, Gordon Strachan, is hoping that The CIS Insurance Cup Final will be a fitting tribute to Jimmy Johnstone.

He said: "We will give our all but circumstances will dictate how we play.

"We will give our all as we do every week and hope that it all falls into place. The players have to enjoy the Jimmy Johnstone factor. It's been the Jimmy Johnstone week.

"There is an onus on the players to perform because of Jimmy but that is something they have every week. Because of the Lisbon Lions, there is a tradition you have to follow. We have to play a certain way."

Strachan continued: "There are a lot of guys who have won nothing and want to know if they can win trophies. As a group we want to know if we can win trophies together.

"We do feel we can win the cup but we also know Dunfermline are the only team apart from Rangers who have beaten us in Glasgow this year."

"The next step for them is to become winners. When you win trophies, it can make you feel better about yourself.

"The importance of this Cup Final against Dunfermline is what it can do for the players as a group, especially the new players who haven't done it before. Remember, we have still to find out if this group can win trophies and this is the first chance we will have had," Strachan reflected.

Celtic striker John Hartson misses out through suspension and Mark Wilson is cup-tied, having played for Dundee United earlier in the tournament. Mo Camara, Ross Wallace and Alan Thompson are all possible replacements for Wilson at left-back.

Celtic captain Neil Lennon damaged his hand during the week but the injury will not prevent him from leading out his side at Hampden Park.

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