Stephen Robinson has claimed that Louis Moult wouldn’t be fazed by playing for Celtic.
On Sunday the former Wrexham striker will carry the hopes of the Motherwell support against the hoops at Hampden after his recent scoring exploits.
Moult grabbed a double in the semi-final win over Sevco and followed that up last weekend with two goals against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Motherwell’s decision to turn down offers for the striker believed to be worth around £400,000 has been fully vindicated with a flying start to the season and their cut of the Hampden gate money.
Celtic were under scrutiny at the start of the season when Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele were both out injured forcing Brendan Rodgers to consider a third striker.
Before the transfer deadline closed Celtic brought in Odsonne Edouard on loan from PSG but so far the young Frenchman has barely featured in the first team.
Managers are usually reluctant to talk up losing their own players but Robinson was happy to discuss Moult being on the move as he prepared for Sunday’s Hampden clash.
“Louis can score goals in any team but Brendan would have to answer if he could get into the Celtic team or not,” the Motherwell boss told The Sun. “He’s definitely in the Motherwell team but I don’t think playing for Celtic would faze Louis.
“We play to his strengths. We put a lot of crosses into the box, he’s a sniffer.
“He’s one of those who maybe doesn’t create loads of goals for himself, but give him the service and he’s clinical.
“His semi-final goals typified Louis — the first a poacher’s goal from a few yards out, the second a pure instinctive, top-class finish.
“It was an out of this world goal — and I loved watching it from the top of the stand.
“I smiled at his first one because he always argues with me about being on the keeper because he doesn’t like it but he said afterwards ‘you were right’.
“That’s what he’s good at. He sniffs chances, he was born with that instinct for chances in the penalty area.
“The final is a huge stage for him and it doesn’t bother me at all if he sees this game also as an opportunity to show himself to other clubs.”
Moult is out of contract at the end of the season.