McInnes would relish being a roaring success at Hampden
ABERDEEN manager Derek McInnes believes retaining the League Cup at Hampden would trump the euphoria of last season’s trophy breakthrough.
The Dons ended a 19-year wait for a major honour by defeating Inverness Caley Thistle on penalty kicks at Celtic Park last March and, having reached this year’s semi-finals, are well placed to repeat the trick. They face Dundee United on Saturday and McInnes is looking forward to taking his team to the national stadium for the first time. With Hampden out of commission due to a refit ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the Dons faced St Johnstone at Tynecastle in last term’s semi and McInnes is looking forward to taking his team onto a bigger stage.
He regards the game against United as being fraught with danger but admits the prize of returning to Glasgow’s south side for the final as a special prize. And, if his side could lift the cup again, McInnes believes it would confirm their re-emergence as a genuine force.
‘For us, a Hampden semi-final is not a spectacle — the final is the one you want to experience,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t matter where the semi-final is but, if we can get to a Hampden final, that adds a bit more to it.
‘Although our final win last year at Parkhead was a great spectacle with so many fans — and Celtic Park catered for it excellently with a brilliant atmosphere — a Hampden final is how you sell it to your players at the start of the season.’
McInnes is an admirer of the job done by Jackie McNamara in the two years since he succeeded Peter Houston at Tannadice and expects a demanding game.
‘Dundee United have really progressed since Jackie has gone there,’ added the Dons boss. ‘He has done a great job. They play good football, have exciting players and there’s no question he is raising the standard at Tannadice.
‘Their league points tally would suggest that and they’ll see this, as we do, as a real chance to get to the final. It’s probably similar to the era when both sides had their most successful spells.’