NO COWARDS WANTED FOR SEMI: JAMES
JAMES TAVERNIER insists Hampden is no place for cowards today as he vowed to fight fire with fire if Motherwell get physical.
The two meet in the Betfred Cup semi at Hampden for the first time since an opening-day Premiership battle saw boss Pedro Caixinha claim his players had been on the end of too much ‘punishment’.
But the Gers full back is convinced Well’s big-boy tactics will fall short – because the Ibrox side will let their quality do the work for them.
Tavernier said: “They’re an aggressive side, a big side, so we know what we have to look out for.
“But we’ve played good football this year, especially against St Johnstone last time out, so we need to be careful not to give away any stupid free-kicks so they can play to their strengths.
“We need to keep our heads and we know if we do, we’ll definitely score goals.
“But you can’t go into a game and not expect to be kicked, no matter who you’re playing. Teams are aggressive against us so we have to match it in the right way. We’ll bring the fight to them.
“We can’t have any cowards in the team – we just need to go out there with a good mentality and take the game to them.
“Sometimes no matter what height the opposition is, quality will overcome a lot of aspects of the game.”
Tavernier has mixed memories of Hampden – two wins in his first two visits over Celtic and then Peterhead in the Petrofac Cup have been overtaken by three straight defeats, two to Celtic last year following the dagger in the heart of Hibs’ Cup Final win. Without a major piece of silverware in Tavernier’s time with the club, the full-back is itching to get a medal around his neck.
“We want one as soon as possible,” he said. “This club is known for the trophy cabinet we have and it was so disappointing not even touching a trophy last year, but we know we’ve got to win a trophy this year.”
They’re an aggressive side so we know what we have to look out for