“I don’t like these things being messed about,” Ange Postecoglou weighs in to SFA row

Ange Postecoglou has had his say on the Scottish FA’s decision earlier in the week to move the Scottish Cup Final kick-off time from the long established, traditional kick-off time of 3pm to 5.30pm to suit the two broadcasters who are concerned about a clash with the FA Cup Final which for the first time ever features a Manchester Derby which is anticipated to attract a huge television audience.

Had it been a Glasgow Derby at Hampden there is no way that this match would have started at 5.30pm that is for sure, so the Scottish FA are underselling their own show-piece match and also probably disrespecting the Scottish Cup finalists, especially Championship side Inverness Caley Thistle.

“I guess it doesn’t make a difference because we are still going to play the game, just at a different time,” Ange Postecoglou said yesterday to the written press and reported by Glasgow Times, when asked about the time change for the final. “I dont know, the Scottish Cup is one of those prestigious competitions, it ends the season at a certain date, at a certain time. I’m a traditionalist in a lot of those things, I love them because the provide historical context for why it is is played on the last day and at that time.

“I’m not too involved in the logistics for supporters, but for the Inverness supporters it is more of a challenge. I would have loved to have had it as it was; I don’t like these things being messed about.

“But at the end of the day, that is the decision, and we just have to get on it and make sure we play our football.”

Meanwhile Billy Dodds has been given much thought to how he is going to keep his Inverness Caley Thistle players fit and ready for the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic on Saturday 3rd June after his side failed to win a place in the Championship play-offs thus ending their league campaign last night.

That’s a massive 29 days between matches that the former Scotland striker has to contend with and Dodds already has a plan in place. “We have, I’ve spoken with my staff about it,” Dodds told his club’s You Tube channel after last night’s damaging home defeat to Ayr United which guarantees that Inverness’ wait for a return to the Premiership will go on for at least another year.

“We’ll be taking some time off, we’ve a month to go and we’ve had a hard season,” Dodds added. “So we have got to peak them again. then we will be staring to get back to work in a week’s time. We will turn the legs, try to get a couple of games and prepare for the final in the right manner.

“Not just turn up. We need to be in Celtic’s faces and get close to them, not be thinking we are going to coast through the game and have a nice day out at Hampden.”

Ange Postecoglou has no such fixture concerns with a title to win and that can be achieved with tomorrow’s visit to Tynecastle. Then it’s the Dead Rubber Glasgow Derby at Ibrox, followed by a home game against St Mirren, another mouth-watering away trip to Easter Road to play Hibs then a Trophy Day match at Celtic Park against Barry Robson’s Aberdeen, the weekend before the cup final.