The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Smith’s career high
Semi-final is biggest ever game for United defender
D today’sundee United fullback Liam Smith knows the career importance of Scottish Cup semifinal against Hibernian at Hampden Park.
The Tannadice side last won the trophy in 2010 when they beat Ross County and previously reached the final in 2014, losing to St Johnstone.
The 25-year-old helped Micky Mellon’s side win the Championship last season and also previously won that division with St Mirren.
Smith, though, is aware that opportunities for cup glory do not come along every season which is why he sees this game as the biggest of his career to date.
He said: “Yes, I would say so. I have never been on a cup run, I haven’t got far in previous years.
“In terms of playing big games which are important for league points and going for championships and things like that (yes) but in terms of one-off, to get to a cup final, I don’t think there has been a bigger game.
“People can go through their careers and they don’t win trophies or medals and might not even play in cup semi-finals or finals so when an opportunity comes around it is one that you have to grasp with both hands, you can’t come off with any regrets. We have experienced boys in the dressing room that have played in cup finals and semi-finals and have won and lost both so they will use their experience to pass on to the rest of us.
“We know how big it is for the club, for us and the fans so we don’t want to let it slip.”
Smith, who signed from Ayr United in 2019, knows the Tangerines will have to be at their best against Hibs.
An impressive 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the last round was followed by a 2-0 defeat at home to Premiership strugglers Ross County last weekend.
Smith said: “That maybe gave us a kick up the backside we needed after coming off the high of Aberdeen.
“Maybe we went into that thinking we could just turn up and it would happen again and obviously that was not the case.
“You need to be at it all the time, especially going into Saturday.
“It is good knowing you have the level we performed at against Aberdeen in you, but equally, we know we can’t just turn up. We need to be 100% at it on the day.”
Hibs have had the best of the three league meetings with United this season, with two wins at Tannadice and a draw at Easter Road.
A aren’tfter breaking new ground with their League Cup triumph, there many firsts left for this St Johnstone team.
Group stage European football through to Christmas would fall into that category, though.
As would the unvarnished glory of a national trophy double.
Both goals are tantalisingly close for Callum Davidson’s men – and both will be driving them on as St Mirren step forward at Hampden as the penultimate opponents in their path.
“First and foremost, you think ‘let’s win the Scottish Cup’ but when you realise you have that incentive of European football for a while, it is even better,” said defender Jamie Mccart.
“It would be incredible for the club especially from a financial point of view.
“It would be massive, especially during these times.
“We just have to get through this game on Sunday.
“If we get through that we can start dreaming maybe.
“My history on Scottish football is not the best but I can’t remember too many other teams outside the Old Firm winning both cups in a season, that’s for sure.”
The absence of four of their self-isolating teammates will further fuel their determination, of course.
A horribly timed coronavirus episode would spook many a manager and his group of players but Mccart believes Davidson’s strategy of making sure all his senior pros have been kept ticking over with regular game time, particularly of late, will serve Saints well and hopefully get its reward.
“It will be invaluable for us now,” said Mccart, who was part of a winning team featuring seven changes from one game to the next at Easter Road last weekend.
“We have a small squad but it is a squad with a lot of quality in it.
“That is shown by how
well we have done this season.
“Anyone who plays this weekend will give it their all.
“We know how good a team St Mirren are and how well organised they are under Jim Goodwin. “It will be no easy feat. “All in all we are full of confidence going into Sunday.
“It was a brilliant feeling for us to go and beat Rangers – the best team in the league – away from home in the last round.
“But it doesn’t really matter who you beat along the way in cup competitions. It is about going on to win it.”
The likes of Danny Mcnamara, David Wotherspoon, Guy Melamed, Ali Mccann, Liam Craig and Shaun Rooney have all had “key man” status at different stages of the season.
But the most important team within a team, certainly in this calendar year, has been the central defensive trio of Mccart, Liam Gordon and Jason Kerr.
As a combination of talents, you’ll not find a better balanced unit in the country.
“Earlier in the season we played similarly to how we are just now but the wee moments in games didn’t go for us,” said the former Inverness Caley Thistle man.
“The defence has done well as the season has progressed but a lot of credit has to go to the people around us as well.
“The players in front work so hard to stop balls coming in while we have a great goalkeeper behind us. We are a well organised team in general.”
Mccart added: “I’m playing with more
confidence given I have another year’s experience under my belt.
“I think the style we play suits me as well.
“All in all, it has been a good learning curve and a good year for me.
“Jason and Liam are two good guys off the park and I get on really well with them.
“We all complement each other as we have three different styles.”
Mccart has the ballplaying skills of a central midfielder.
But over the course of this season he has learned to appreciate when to keep a lid on them and when to let them flourish.
“In my younger days coming through at Celtic it was all playing out from the back and maybe I made too many mistakes,” he said.
“I think that is something I have completely
eradicated from my game which is pleasing for me.
“Maturity and decisionmaking just comes with playing time and experience.”
That decisiveness Mccart referenced has been aided by his manager’s attention to detail ahead of matches.
“Everyone knows where they stand and from a coaching point of view he is first class,” he said.
“You are never in the dark about what he wants you to do or where he wants you to go or how we are going to set up.
“For a football player clarity is one of the most important things and I think we have had that, especially since the turn of the year.
“I think you can see everyone knows what they are doing and that really comes down to the gaffer, Steven Maclean and Alex Cleland.”