Neil Lennon has warned that ‘underdogs bite’ as he bristled at scepticism of Dunfermline’s prospects ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup final showdown with former club Celtic.
The Pars boss believes a ‘disrespectful’ narrative has developed in some quarters as he bids to try to deny Martin O’Neill, his old manager at Leicester and Celtic, a double after the Parkhead side won the Premiership title in a final-day thriller last weekend.
Lennon’s Championship outfit have already knocked out three Premiership sides on their way to the final and the 54-year-old said yesterday: ‘It’s not a day out for us.
‘I’ve seen a lot of comments this week about Martin picking up the trophy with (captain) Callum McGregor and if he’d have been here earlier in the season, he would have been winning a treble.
Dunfermline boss Lennon is unhappy with the disrespectful narrative ahead of the cup final
‘I wouldn’t dismiss us. We’re the underdogs, but underdogs bite.’
Dunfermline go into the final on the back of having their promotion hopes ended by a play-off semi-final defeat by Partick Thistle last week.
Asked if he was annoyed by those who he feels have written his side off, Lennon said: ‘Yes. It just adds fuel for me, so it’s great. It’s disrespectful, which again, I don’t mind.
‘We will come, I wouldn’t say brimming full of confidence, but with an inner belief that we can achieve something here. We’re under no illusions as to how difficult that’s going to be.
‘We’ve come a long way in a short space of time, but we’re here, and we want to make it count.
‘I don’t want to be a gallant loser. I found out last week that I still take losing really badly.’
Lennon revealed that striker Zak Rudden is set to return after more than three months out injured.
‘Having him back is a huge shot in the arm for us,’ said the manager. ‘He will be in contention for a place in the squad.’
