Malky Mackay out to secure return to Hampden for Ross County as Aberdeen come calling to Dingwall for League Cup quarter final
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Malky Mackay walks past reminders of Ross County's 2016 League Cup triumph every day – and now he is determined to create some memories of his own in Dingwall.
The last time the Staggies reached Hampden they went all the way to glory, but they are just 90 minutes away from a return to the national stadium.
They will take on Aberdeen tomorrow in a quarter final clash in Dingwall, and if County can get past the Dons they will feel they have every chance of going all the way once again.
With Celtic already having been knocked out, at least one half of the eventual final will compose of non-Old Firm sides, and Mackay believes that opens up opportunity for a side like his to make history.
"Ross County have done it before, and it's on the wall – there's a lovely big picture as I walk up the stairs every day," Mackay reasoned.
"It was years ago, and I don't know many people in the picture, but there is such happiness at seeing Ross County lifting one of Scotland's national trophies.
"It was an incredible achievement. The fact that it's not going to be Celtic against Rangers in the final, as much as sponsors generally will hate that, a lot of people who aren't Celtic or Rangers fans love that.
"If a draw works out that someone gets to a final that maybe generally wouldn't, that's special.
"They are magic moments in football careers. Win or lose, you want to be out there, so I tell players to take these achievements in because they are gone in the blink of an eye.
"You can think you will go again next year, but it's naive. If you get to a cup final, or if you win a league, that might be the only thing you win in your whole career, so take it in.
"That's an extra driver for us – beating Aberdeen on Wednesday night and getting to a semi final at Hampden, which would be a huge occasion."
Adding to County's motivation will be the fact that they lost 4-0 at Pittodrie in league action as recently as Sunday.
On paper, tomorrow night's clash is set up to be very different given it will be knockout football under the lights in Dingwall rather than a relatively standard league game in the granite city, and Mackay says the prize on offer should be enough to ensure an improved performance.
"The prize should really excite them even more when it's a one-off shoot-out," he added.
"The major carrot of going to Hampden is a terrific thing for this football club. As a manager and as players, that's what you want to achieve, so that should be an extra driver even on top of being beaten on Sunday and needing to be better than that to give a bit back.
"Even if this was a league game, I'd be hoping to see our sleeves up and show who we truly are against the same team. It's like a second leg because it's against the same team, so we have to go and prove ourselves.
"This kind of opportunity is certainly something I've been very conscious of speaking to the players about since day one of the Viaplay Cup.
"We've got to a point now where we're 90 minutes from Hampden, and right at the start of the season when I was trying to get players to move up here I was talking about going to play at Hampden for the first time in their careers to get that notch in their belt.
"It's exciting, and as a player it's one of those moments you just love. It should be the same for them now that we've got this game on Wednesday night and there's the excitement of being 90 minutes away from playing at Hampden in a semi final."
