A break from relegation watch for the Scottish Cup

By: Ian Rose | January 9th, 2009

As things at Caley HQ continue to look a bit dire, we take a break from our regularly scheduled SPL losing streak this weekend to make room for the Scottish Cup. The world’s second oldest knockout competition features our very own Caley Thistle taking on that other Thistle, Partick. Hopefully we can do something against the third team in Glasgow, because we’ve been completely unable to do anything against the first two.

With the team struggling to stay up in the SPL, I have mixed feelings about the Cup. It has its positives. A win, even over one of the top teams in the second tier, would give us a little confidence heading into next week’s crucial relegation six-pointer with Hamilton. It also gives us a chance to try out our two shiny new Jaggies, Thierry Gathuessi and Filipe Morais from Hibs. Actually, the newest report says they might not be registered in time. Typical.

But do we really want a cup win? Look at the likes of Dunfermline and Queen of the South the past few years. Did long runs in the Cup do anything good for them in their league play? You could make an argument for Queens, but not Dunfermline. Those Pars went down the same year they went to the Scottish Cup final. Coincidence? Yes. But still.

I have to admit, I do care about the Cup. It’s a classic of Scottish football, and of football in general, and I would love to see it someday gracing the so-far-rather-lonesome trophy case of my beloved Caley Thistle. But do you know what I would love more? To play more than 190 matches in the top flight. That’s what we’ll be at when this season ends (2004-2009), and if we want to play #191 without a long break between, we have to concentrate on the league.

So do your best tomorrow, boys. If a win will motivate you to do better in the SPL, then I’m all for it. But if an important player has a split-second choice whether or not to make a last-second tackle that could leave him injured for the remainder of the SPL season … let it go. Survival is first priority, and survival is very much in question.