| Neil Lennon has assured Paddy McCourt that he still has a big part to play in the run-in to Celtic's season. McCourt sat watching Sunday's game in the Broomloan Road Stand despite being a regular in Lennon's side in recent months. McCourt insists he has lots to contribute as Celtic fight for silverware on three fronts. He said: "I had a chat with the manager on Sunday and as you know there are only five substitutes in a cup game and I think that played against me. He reassured me that was the reason why and hopefully I will be involved next week. At the start of the season he wanted me there and he convinced me to stay at the club. I have played a lot of football this year and I have been fairly happy. I was a wee bit disappointed not to be involved, it was the first time it had happened this season. I watched it in with the fans, when the players aren't involved at Ibrox that's where you go. It was a good experience but I would much rather have been on the pitch. The fans got behind the team and the team responded. Even when we were down to 10 men we still kept passing the ball. We have plenty of footballers who like to get on the ball and pass it and that showed in the game." Celtic have dominated the last two games at Ibrox but McCourt warned fans about getting too carried away. There are a another four game between the sides still to take place, including the Scottish Cup replay on 2 March and the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden later that month. The former Derry City winger said: "We probably deserved to win the last two games at Ibrox but Rangers are a good side and there is no way it's going to be the case that we are going to beat them every time. I'm sure they probably came away thinking they were maybe lucky to get the replay so they will be going out all guns blazing to put things right." McCourt is keen to win the bragging rights from Wednesday night's game between Northern Ireland and Scotland at the Aviva Stadium, which could see him up against team mates Kris Commons, Scott Brown and Mark Wilson. He said: "You never go into any game looking to lose but knowing that you are going to go back and share a dressing room with some of these guys will make it that bit more competitive and I'm sure everyone will be going all out to win. Don't get me wrong, I don't think anyone is going to be flying into tackles and hurt anyone, but playing against club team-mates and players you come up against on a regular basis will give it that competitive edge. It is going to be a difficult game. The two teams are evenly matched and I think it will be a good contest." |