CELTIC head coach Wim Jansen, who has comfortably slipped into the cliche lingo of his peers in Scotland, has been saying for many weeks that every game is a cup final for his team. Now he is willing to confess that this weekend's confrontation with St Johnstone is the final cup final.
The Dutchman also insists that there will be no concern from his players at Parkhead about what is happening 80 miles up the road at Tannadice, where Rangers face their cup final before the cup final.
''The players will blank out the events at Tannadice completely from their thoughts as we go into our most important game so far,'' Jansen told the club newspaper, ''. . . everything hinges on one game, not what happens in the Rangers-Dundee United match. We have to deal with things here all by ourselves.''
Well, not quite. There is the little matter of 50,000 pent-up fans howling their team on to consider. Jansen not only acknowledges that but has no doubts that their contribution will be crucial. ''What happened last weekend is all in the past, but that is soccer for you and we are looking for the help of that very important twelfth player.
''I know the supporters will be tuned into events elsewhere - but, if they get 100% behind the players, the men on the park will give 110%.
''The title is in our own hands now. We cannot rely on Rangers slipping up, so we will get on with dealing with St Johnstone.''
At the other end of Glasgow, Rangers' players are just beginning to get used to the idea that it is not all over yet after the devastation felt in the dressing-room after the 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock on Saturday. Goalkeeper Antti Niemi says he has never felt so bad about losing a goal as he did at Ibrox in injury time.
''I have never seen anything like the aftermath of that defeat,'' he said. The Finnish internationalist added in an interview in the club paper: ''The Ibrox dressing room was not a great place to be. Everyone knew they had turned in a performance that was not acceptable.
''Still, it is great news that we are in the race. All credit to Dunfermline, and we must now go out at Dundee and give the performance of a lifetime.''
The tall, articulate Niemi, recalling that dismal scene in the dressing room, went on: ''I don't think I'll ever forget looking around and seeing the lads so depressed. A policeman came in and told us there were still 20,000 in the stadium. No-one wanted to move, but, of course, we had to.''
''The title is still out of our hands, but I have been impressed by St Johnstone, and they are chasing a Europe spot, so I know they'll give it their best shot. We need a miracle, but we're still in there.''
Back at Parkhead, Paul Lambert was admitting in an interview that winning the championship would rank alongside his greatest moment, when he collected a European Champions' Cup winning badge with Borussia Dortmund a year ago.
''It would be right up there with that,'' said the man who won a Scottish Cup-winning medal with St Mirren in 1987. ''Winning the title now after recent disappointments means so much to myself, the rest of the team, and the fans.
''When you have been here for a while, you get a feel for just how important it is for everyone concerned with the club that we do it. When I was young at St Mirren, I took that trophy in my stride, took it for granted even. You think it will always be like that, but you learn better.''
Celtic players will return today to training and preparation for the big event, and Jansen will get the chance to assess the recoveries of Simon Donnelly and Henrik Larsson, who were taken for X-rays on Sunday night after the game with Dunfermline.
They both suffered leg knocks, but the chances are they will be fit and ready for the last and biggest match of the season.
Played yesterday
UEFA Cup. Final - Lazio 0, Inter-Milan 3 (Zamorano, Zanetti, Ronaldo).
FA Carling Premiership - Liverpool 4 (Ince 2, Owen, Leonhardsen), Arsenal 0.
East of Scotland Shield. Final - Hibs 0, Hearts 0. (Hearts won 3-1 on penalties).
Reserve League. West - Hamilton 4 (Gerraghty, Wales, Bonner, Ritchie), Stirling Albion 1 (Nicholas).
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