Retaining League Cup would mean more to McInnes

Derek McInnes reckons winning the League Cup at Hampden would mean more to Aberdeen than lifting it last time at Celtic Park.

The Dons brought to an end an agonising 19-year wait for a trophy with last year’s dramatic shoot-out win over Inverness at Parkhead.

The scenes that greeted the Reds’ victory and the celebrations that continued for days afterwards were the wildest since the glory days of the 1980s.

However, boss McInnes reckons a second consecutive cup win this time at Hampden would spark an even bigger party.

And he insists next week’s semi-final against New Firm rivals Dundee United can serve as an appetiser for his players, who remain desperate to hoist silverware at the national stadium.

He said: “It would probably be more rewarding to retain the Cup. We’ve shown a consistency since winning the trophy but we’ve still got it all to do.

“A Hampden semi-final is not a spectacle for us. The Final is the one you want to experience. For us, it doesn’t matter where the semi-final is. If we can get to a Hampden final, for me, there’s a bit more on it.

“Although our win last year at Parkhead was a great spectacle with so many fans and Celtic Park catered for it excellently a Hampden final is how you sell it to your players.

“We want that day at Hampden.”

If they are to get it, McInnes’ players will have to keep their cool under the glare of a Hampden semi-final spotlight. Fortunately, he believes the experience they gained last year and in Europe proves they are capable of playing under pressure.

“Now that we have experienced winning the League Cup we have shown we can handle big games, pressure games,” McInnes said. “It is important to draw on that and there has been a maturity about my team this season. We can also take lessons from the Europa League games we played. It all gives us confidence going into this semi-final.”

Confidence is all very well, but with a team of Dundee United’s ability standing in their way, the Dons’ hopes of reaching the Final are very much in the balance.

That’s something McInnes’ recognises, but, with both clubs flying high in all competitions, he can’t help but see parallels between now and the clubs’ respective heydays.

He said: “Dundee United have really progressed since Jackie has gone there. He’s done a great job. They play good football, they have value on the pitch, they have exciting players and there’s no question that he’s raising the standard at Tannadice.

“Their League points tally would suggest that and they’ll see this, just like we do, as a real chance to get to the final.

“The games between Aberdeen and United are a bit more on it when both sides are doing well.

“Now, we’re playing each other in a semi-final it can only be good. It’s probably similar to the era when both sides had their most successful spells.”