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IT IS the only competition Celtic still have a realistic chance of winning this season. But as far manager Tony Mowbray is concerned, tomorrow's Active Nation Scottish Cu

• Quarter-final takes on added significance
• Cup is only realistic chance of trophy after league slump

Tony Mowbray, the Celtic manager, has claimed he is content with his side's progress and is not worried about losing his job as he heads into a game on Saturday which could determine his future at the club.

Mowbray faces a crucial match at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup, the competition which offers his only realistic hope of winning a trophy in his first season at Celtic given the 13-point gap to Rangers in the Scottish Premier League. Despite his body language and demeanour suggesting otherwise, Mowbray says he is relaxed about the quarter-final tie.

"Why should I worry?" Mowbray asked. " I have more concerns, me, I'm only here to do a job and build a team. I don't worry, I have my own worries in life. You've got the wrong guy. It doesn't impact on my life. Do I worry? No."

Yet the manager will be doing well to see out the season if Celtic are defeated at Rugby Park. "There is no good me sitting here today speculating on a negative result," Mowbray said. "That is the sort of stereotypical question I get asked."

Mowbray added that he is relaxed about what has been a radical overhaul of the Celtic squad since he was appointed last summer. "I am pretty comfortable with where we are," he said. "Look at the changes in the team. Which players have made it a less attractive football team? Who has not been successful? Are we moving in the right direction?

"Look at the Old Firm games for a start. You spin them on their heads and there is nothing in this league. Look at some of the decisions and some of the fine margins in those games. Are we 13 points less of a team than Rangers in my mind?"

The answer, needless to say, is no. Mowbray's dislike of "spin" means he left others to make that assumption.

• Celtic
• Scottish Cup

Ewan Murray
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Lubo fears for Mowbray's future, Smith is Ellis's man and Rangers could win league at Parkhead - all this and more in today's Rumour Mill.

FORMER Celtic hero Lubomir Moravcik has urged the club to do everything possible to keep Robbie Keane and build their team around him.

ROBBIE Keane has paid tribute to fellow forward Morten Rasmussen, with the Dane starting to suggest he may be the Irishman's ideal foil at Celtic.

Rangers near SPL title, Celtic in negotiations with Boruc and questions emerge over Ibrox takeover - all this and more in today's Rumour Mill.

INTEREST has been piqued by the news that the Scottish Football Association has initiated a scheme, in conjunction with Mars, to encourage over 18s to return to football. This

TONY Mowbray has revealed that Celtic have opened contract talks with goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

HO HUM! I guess Sunday's game is the blueprint for most of our games until May. We have that bit of extra quality that will win us games and hope that the opposition don&#

CELTIC today sent out a clear signal that they are keen on retaining the services Artur Boruc after manager Tony Mowbray confirmed that contract negotiations had been opened w

Rangers go public on takeover talks, Weir calls for backing for Smith and Kyle says no to Russian move - all this and more in today's Rumour Mill.

McGeady gets confused; Rangers confirm talks; Smith fumes at Fifa; plus the rest of today's news, gossip and spurious rumours.

MORTEN RASMUSSEN insists pride will drive the Celtic players on for the rest of the season.

AT the third time of asking this season, Celtic finally got the better of Falkirk yesterday. Robbie Keane, as a richly remunerated striker should, made all the difference i

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray has insisted Aiden McGeady was not fully aware of what he was saying when he accused referee Dougie McDonald of bias in last week's Old Firm sh

TONY Mowbray believes holding some of the Scottish media at bay put his side under increased pressure before their 2-0 win at Falkirk.

In Robbie Keane, Celtic at least have one player who will not be going through the motions for the rest of this season, with the club's hopes of regaining the Scottish Premier League title almost extinguished. Keane will be motivated by the desire to kick-start his career in England's Premier League during his loan spell, whether that be at Tottenham Hotspur or elsewhere.

He was the difference between the teams here today, two smart finishes the highlights of an otherwise drab contest. "It has not crossed my mind," said the Celtic manager, Tony Mowbray, of any suggestion Keane could join his club full-time in the summer. The player has virtually dismissed that notion. "I don't know what Robbie's thoughts are," he added. "You saw today why he is here. When chances come along, he is there to take them."

Keane's goals were welcome for the simple reason that there was little else to get excited about here. The game started in mild controversy because of the pre-match spat which had broken out between the clubs after Celtic were accused of complaining to the SPL about the state of the pitch. Although the surface lacked grass, it proved adequate enough.

Afterwards the Falkirk manager, Steven Pressley, did his best to talk up his team with such adjectives as terrific, brilliant and scintillating, in what was essentially a morale-boosting exercise.

Keane had already passed up a one-on-one opportunity by the time he opened the scoring. Morten Rasmussen, Keane's burly, unorthodox yet effective strike partner, played a fine pass into his path; the 29-year-old did the rest with an angled shot. Falkirk, whose SPL survival hinges on the next 10 games, had Enoch Showunmi to blame for a failure to restore parity. The striker supplied a comedy moment, miskicking when six yards from the Celtic goal seconds before half-time and headed wastefully over after 68 minutes.

Keane promptly demonstrated why his £68,000-a-week salary equates roughly to what Showunmi collects in a year. Marc Crosas was the supplier this time with a quick free-kick and Keane showed speed of legs and mind to nip between Falkirk's central defenders before clipping the ball over the advancing Robert Olejnik.

Mowbray was left to hail "a professional performance" before diverting his attention once again towards the Scottish media. The manager has what is rapidly descending into a mini-obsession with the fourth estate.

"If anything there was more pressure on us today than [for the Old Firm game] last week," Mowbray said. "The team had to get a result because, if not, the media keep piling it on."

Man of the match Robbie Keane (Celtic)

• Scottish Premier League
• Falkirk
• Celtic

Ewan Murray
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A Robbie Keane double at Falkirk kept Celtic's faint Clydesdale Bank Premier League title hopes alive.

Two goals from Robbie Keane kept Celtic's faint Scottish Premier League title hopes alive at the Falkirk Stadium.

Robert Olejnik had already thwarted the on-loan Irish striker twice before he drilled the ball past the Falkirk goalkeeper in the 34th minute after being set up by Morten Rasmussen.

The home side passed up several further decent chances before Keane added his second in the 79th minute when a quick Marc Crosas free-kick sent Keane sprinting past the home defence and he knocked the ball past Olejnik to secure the points.

Victory takes Celtic back to within 10 points of the SPL leaders Rangers, who also have a game in hand.

• Scottish Premier League
• Falkirk
• Celtic

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IN THE Glasgow footballing domain you are not damned in yourself; you are damned in comparison.