Success with Motherwell would top the lot for Stuart McCall

With Scotland having failed to qualify for any major tournament since 1998, his goal against Sweden in 1990 is something that today's international players can only dream of, yet the Leeds-born McCall is adamant that to achieve success as a manager would feel "that bit more special".

"Winning the cup with Motherwell would have to be at the top," said the manager, who also enjoyed promotion to England's top flight as a player with Bradford - the club with which he enjoyed his most lengthy relationship. "I would imagine it would be my proudest moment. As a player, you felt like there could be more medals along the way. But, as a manager, it could be your one and only chance.

"I was assistant manager at Sheffield United under Neil Warnock when we secured promotion to the Premier League in 2006. That was brilliant. It was unbelievable.

"As a player, you feel like you have played your part and, as assistant, you felt you have done well but being a manager? I would imagine it feels that bit more special."

McCall is also aware of just how much bringing the Scottish Cup back to Motherwell for the first time since 1991 would mean to the town.

"When the tickets went on sale, I think that is when it really hit home what it means. You had thousands outside the ground and the players couldn't get into the stadium because there were so many people queuing.

"The buzz about the place has been fantastic so I think the lads know what it means to the fans."

Celtic may be overwhelming favourites to land Neil Lennon his first trophy as a manager, but McCall believes his side have every chance of bucking the odds.

"Is it mission impossible? Not at all," he said. "As I've said to the players all along it's OK getting there but you don't just want to be part of the day - go out and win it or do your best. I just want them to come off the park having done themselves justice. If our best isn't good enough then you can handle that. I know that if we are at our maximum and Celtic are at their maximum, Celtic should win. They pay what they pay and have good players.

"But we've already knocked out Dundee United, the holders in the quarter-finals.

"When you look back on the season our biggest result might be seen to have been beating Celtic at home in the league, but I think knocking Dundee United out of the Scottish Cup was a bigger achievement - that was the toughest draw we could have got outwith the Old Firm."

Notwithstanding the result today, McCall says he will take a great deal of satisfaction from his achievements since taking charge at Fir Park at the end of last year."The season has gone better than I could have imagined for the simple reason that when I came in it was a difficult time," he said. "Craig Brown and Archie Knox had left for Aberdeen and we had lost four and drawn one of our last five games.

"I think at the time we might have been fifth in the league but there was no doubt that, with so many games in hand, Dundee United would eventually get above us, so my initial target was to get the club into the top six.

"Looking back over it I inherited a Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final against Rangers, but we've managed to beat Celtic at home and won twice against Aberdeen, which I think was important for the fans given their disappointment at Craig leaving.

"When I came in the squad was good but we didn't have a lot of money or strength in depth. I knew we had to be lucky with injuries and suspensions, and we've done OK in that regard.

"In the games when we've struggled to put out our strongest team it has shown, such as the games at Ibrox and Kilmarnock, so a couple of results could have been better, but all in all it has gone far better than I expected.

"There have been a lot of highs and a couple of little blips, but in the main I think we've done quite well."