The Irishman, in his first full season as Hoops manager, was serving a touchline ban for the Co-operative Insurance Cup final against Rangers in March and had to sit in the stand as the Light Blues won 2-1 after extra-time.

Asked how much he was looking forward to walking out along with Fir Park boss Stuart McCall at the showpiece occasion, the former Celtic skipper joked: "It will make a pleasant change," then added: "It will be a precious moment in my time here as a player, coach and now manager.

"The cup final is a very special occasion, and we haven't been there for a few years.

"It will be a nice moment for me but it will not detract away from concentrating on what we have to do.

"We haven't been to the final since 2007.

"It's an important competition for the players and supporters and the backroom staff as well."

Lennon believes his players deserve to get something from the season in which they also lost out on the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title to Rangers by just one point.

"I would be disappointed (if we end up with nothing)," he said.

"We have played very well this season and our recent form is very good.

"There is disappointment that we have not won the title but we have a cup to win and it's a game we are all looking forward to it.

"We made a big improvement, scored a lot of goals, tidied up defensively and the midfield is as good as we have had for a long, long time.

"And we have good strikers so the balance of the squad is good.

"We will try to improve on the squad in the summer but in terms of do the players deserve something out of the season, I would have to say I think they do.

"But sometimes you don't always get what you deserve in football and who is to say that if we end up with nothing, people will say we deserve to end up with nothing.

"We have one game to go and you are asking all these questions and trying to put a negative spin on it.

"We are trying to be positive and we will go out and try to play as strongly as we can."

Lennon's cup final press conference, however, was dominated by questions about his future.

The Irishman became slightly irritated when in asked, in various ways, whether his current six-month rolling contract would be improved and/or extended and whether the result against Motherwell would make a difference to the board's decision.

"I don't know if that decision has been made or if tomorrow will have that effect on it one way or the other," he said.

"It will be a decision that the board will discuss with me or among themselves.

"I am on a six-month rolling contract and until I'm told otherwise I will be the manager.

"I am happy with that (current deal), yes.

"Whether the board wants to offer me an extension to that or a new contract, I have no idea.

"But again we will talk about that next week.

"You have asked me all these questions today and you have asked me them all season.

"I have always maintained that we will not talk about things until the season is over and the season is not over yet.

"We are just concentrating on tomorrow and things will be dealt with after Saturday.

"We want to bring success to the club and the only avenue we have is the cup final and we will do everything we can to win.

"You are always judged as a manager at Celtic on silverware.

"We have fell just short on two attempts and we don't want to fall short on the third."

Lennon was also tetchy in confirming that striker Anthony Stokes is back in contention.

The former Hibernian player was left out of the match against the Steelmen at Celtic Park last week after an incident at the team hotel.

Lennon admitted that Stokes had been disciplined but was back in his plans.

"He is in the squad," the Hoops boss said.

"He was (disciplined) yes, you all know that so I don't know why you are asking me that.

"He has been disciplined on an internal matter.

"It was something I had to do.

"I don't really want to discuss that any further.

"As regards his footballing ability, he has had a fine season and been an important player to me this year."