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AS a former team-mate of both Scottish Cup Final bosses Neil Lennon is well placed to assess the merits of Jackie McNamara and Tommy Wright.

Lennon shared a dressing room at Parkhead with McNamara and was a colleague of Wright in the Northern Ireland set-up.

And having pitted his wits against the pair this season in the SPFL the Celtic manager is well aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

Lennon feels Saturday’s season finale is almost impossible to call with no more than a cigarette paper between the two clubs.

However, he does feel St Johnstone’s red-hot striker Stevie May, who has already scored 27 goals this season, holds the key to the outcome.

Lennon said: “I think it’s very close to call. You have a little contrast in styles. Jackie’s team likes to play football.

“Tommy’s team are powerful, they keep going and they have ability in their ranks.

“Obviously, Stevie May has had a fantastic season and United are going to have a real problem handling him. United score a lot of goals but they concede a lot of goals as well.

“May’s had a very good season. He’s actually a better player than I thought he was, having seen him live on a couple of occasions.

“They will do well to hold on to him but I think they’re quite confident they can do.”

The showdown between the two Tayside outfits is widely viewed as a battle of style

over substance.

But while United have quite rightly been lauded for some of their scintillating football this term Lennon feels St Johnstone have no shortage of flair.

He said: “They both like to win. Jackie’s a quieter type but he takes everything in.

“Despite their looks, they’re both pretty intelligent. How both teams set up will be interesting.

“Such as how Tommy tries to stop the United midfield from getting a grip of the game.

“St Johnstone are spirited, well organised at the back and have a good keeper.

“There is sort of an idea going into the game that it is the purists against the hard-working team, but I don’t see it that way.

(Image: Kenny Smith/SNS Group)

“There is plenty of ability in the St Johnstone team.

“I think United will probably go in as marginal favourites but it’s a hard one to call.”

Almost 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the final at Celtic Park despite both sides having a combined average home attendance this season of less than 15,000.

The Hoops manager said: “It just shows that with success people will come out and support their local team.

“I think it’s great St Johnstone are in the final, while it will be great for the young players at Dundee United to experience a final. How they handle the occasion is another thing.

“St Johnstone beating Aberdeen showed they have got over that psychological hurdle of reaching a final.

“They have both had very, very good seasons and I’m very close to both of them so I hope it’s 6-6.”

Lennon has no shortage of admirers himself down south after leading Celtic to a third straight title success and he would not be surprised to see McNamara or Wright further their careers in England.

McNamara has already been targeted for the vacant Blackpool post while Stuart McCall is also high on a number of shortlists following his impressive exploits with Motherwell.

Scottish football has its fair share of detractors although Lennon feels the top flight is an ideal breeding ground for managers.

He added: “It’s funny. On the radio the other night, people were talking about how all these young Scottish managers were going down to England and doing really well.

“Then they realised that Barry Ferguson was being replaced at Blackpool. So they had to sort of rein it in a wee bit.

“It’s good. Up here, you get the opportunity to play in a top league, coach in a top league.

“You get a little bit more exposure than you probably would elsewhere. And you get the opportunity to win things as well.

“I think that’s all very good for your own mentality and the way you like to set teams up.

“Scotland has done fantastically well over the years with managers, although they were saying that maybe two years ago there were seven in the Premier League and now there’s only one.

“But that will change again. I’m sure there will be a lot more as the years go on. I don’t know what it is. I think there’s just a hunger about the Scottish boys.

“Maybe they’re harder than some of the English lads. They’ve got a good mentality about the game. I think this is a very good breeding ground for that.

“I’m not surprised clubs are looking at Jackie and I wouldn’t be surprised with Stuart McCall either.

“I’m sure there will be people looking at Tommy as well.

“If you get in the top four, five or six in your national league, it breeds confidence. You know how to win games.

“I know Terry Butcher is having a bad time at the minute but he’s a good manager as well.

“He has done some great things with clubs and I’m pretty sure he’ll get it right at Hibs as well.”