Neil Cameron: Rangers won't stop Celtic ... unless Lennon loses a coach or key player

Forster won Celtic the Betfred Cup. It was a 10 out of 10 display. It actually went up to 11 – fans of Spinal Tap will get the reference.

There was a certain irony in watching a team trying to stop their biggest rivals – a dominating side chasing records – and then losing despite playing the better football. And having a ridiculous amount of chances, only to be denied by a goalkeeper who even managed to save a penalty, denying the star striker.

Fraser Forster broke Steven Gerrard’s heart at Hampden Park.

So, a new contract must be written up.

There are going to be clubs with more money looking to make a move in the summer. Celtic, as Neil Lennon himself stated, must not allow their man to leave.

And this ought to mean that goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods stays at the club for as long as he wants.

Before I go on, I need to declare that big Stevie is a pal, which might not be the case after this because he hates this sort of stuff. But he did take me out in a journalists v Celtic coaching staff game in Maribor a few years ago.

The result? No penalty, no red card, but play on was the decision – by Brendan Rodgers. Typical. You never get anything against Celtic.

When Artur Boruc was having problems during his time at Celtic, he turned to Woods for help. The two bonded and the Pole, as complicated and unpredictable character Scottish football has seen, produced some of his best performances.

Woods was at Celtic but not as first-team goalie coach. However, Boruc was smart enough to work out that the big baldy lad knew what he doing. And so he sought him out.

This put some noses out of joint.

However, Peter Lawwell and the top brass were savvy enough to ignore certain individuals to promote Woods, who was mostly remembered for being a fine servant for Motherwell.

During Forster’s first spell, he credited Woods for helping him get into the England squad.

Craig Gordon has name-dropped his coach numerous time, and Scott Bain also praised him earlier this year.

Woods must be doing some very right. He’s a lot more than just the “director of kicking and throwing”, a phrase I’ve heard him use.

The guy is worth his weight of gold for that football club.

Being the goalie coach is hardly glamorous. Indeed, it looked for all the world as if Dermot Desmond didn’t know who he was shaking hands with in the dressing room.

He was possibly wondering what Ross Kemp was doing there.

However, Woods’s reputation is growing. A good man in charge of the goalkeepers is vital for any club, as we saw on Sunday and many times before.

I have no clue what he does on the training pitch. What I do know is that Woods is utterly dedicated and is a fantastic people person. I have personal experience of this.

Going back two years, I had known him for a while but we were never pals. We’d chat for a bit whenever our paths crossed but so did lots of journalists.

Then on Twitter, I mentioned suffering from depression – I was signed off work for a month – and he reached out.

Next thing I know, me and one of Celtic’s backroom team are sitting in a bar in Glasgow’s west end, talking about mental health. He has gone out of his way to print off literature about how to cope when that black dog howls and exercise classes, which help with stress and anxiety.

It really helped. This is one of the good guys we are talking about.

On a personal level, I’m delighted to see that his work behind the scenes is beginning to become more recognised.

Forster is in his own way a superb professional. He was the one out there making save after save against Rangers.

But any player says the hard work takes place on the wet and windy days at training in front of nobody. That’s when flaws are ironed out, when tactics are talked through. Good coaches produce good players.

I can’t remember Celtic ever winning a cup final when they haven’t been the best team.

They might have lost a few when they were arguably better side but Sunday was something else. I can seem them winning a fourth treble this season – not great for our game, but an incredible achievement by Lennon and his squad.

Gerrard was right to say he couldn’t have asked more from his team in terms of effort.

Rangers played some good football and were done by a goal that should have been disallowed. Saying a player, or players in this case were "slightly offside" makes no sense. You are either are or you’re not.

But they lost to Celtic again.

When a team keeps failing in this fixture even when they play well, it’s hard to see them winning the league this season, although I believe this is a genuine title race.

Celtic’s mentality more than anything got them through. Well that and the giant Geordie lad having the game of his life.

Unless Lennon loses a coach or any key players, Rangers won’t stop them.

And Another Thing

Ryan Jack was excellent for Rangers in the final as he has been all season.

Emotion got the best of the midfielder after the final whistle. He tried and failed to hide the fact tears were coming from his eyes.

I have no problem with that. What’s wrong with a bit of emotion?

We all react to the bad stuff in different ways. At least Jack cares and my guess is most Rangers supporters had no problem with their player’s behaviour.

Footballers aren’t robots. Sometimes they greet. Personally, I would have Jack as Rangers captain. The guy is a natural leader and showed at Aberdeen that captaincy suited him.

Those who had a go at Jack for crying after losing an Old Firm final need to take a look at themselves.