Hampden win can help save United skins in league, insists McLaren
FORMER Dundee United star Andy McLaren is hoping that Mixu Paatelainen’s men can follow in his footsteps to Scottish Cup glory – and provide the spark that could help them stay in the Premiership.
McLaren lifted the Scottish Cup with the Tangerines in 1994, playing his part as United defeated Rangers 1-0 at Hampden. As his former side return to the venue today to take on Hibernian in the semi-final, the mood on Tayside should be one of nervous anticipation. Given their predicament in the league though, most fans will be travelling more in hope than expectation, even though their Championship opponents will hardly be brimming with confidence either.
For McLaren though, the game doesn’t represent a distraction for United, but a chance to reignite their charge for survival in the league, which has rather been dampened by the weekend defeat to Inverness.
“[The cup win] was massive at the time,” he said. “I only realised the next day when the bus turned into Dundee’s city centre and it was awash with tangerine. It was the first time they’d won it. I know they’ve won it since but the Scottish Cup holds a special place there because they’d had so many disappointments.
“It can also take them away from the stuff they’re going through in the Premiership. A wee release of pressure and hopefully that can help them. If they can get a result Saturday it could have a massive impact on the rest of their season. They’d probably need to win their last five to stay up but if they’ve a cup final place to play for at the end of it, it might just be the wee spark they need.”
In the predictable maelstrom of hype surrounding the Old Firm fixture tomorrow, today’s teams have been allowed to prepare for their own day at Hampden in relative peace.
That could benefit United in particular, who McLaren believes have deeper problems than their underachieving group of players.
He is candid enough to admit that it will take a huge and unprecedented collective effort from that United squad to avoid the drop, suggesting they may have to win all of their games – including today’s – if they are to have a realistic chance.
“It’s been kind of overlooked but I think it could be the best of the two,” he said. “The other one could have a lot of nerves. Hopefully it’ll be two even teams trying to get to the final and hopefully Dundee United can win it.
“I think injuries to key players have played a big part. The boys Paton and Dow were out for a long time and they’re key players, especially after selling three key players last year. Paton and Dow are probably two of the biggest players there now.
“You can say they’ve been unlucky but the table doesn’t lie. They’ve probably not been good enough. They now need to win their last five and Saturday can be a springboard.
“But when you’re going into a semi you’re not thinking about league form. It’s a different animal and hopefully that can give them a boost. It’s easy saying they need to win five on the trot when they probably haven’t won two or three on the trot. That’s what it’s going to take.”