Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager Billy Dodds is embracing his sides role as the underdog heading into the 2023 Scottish Cup final against Celtic on Saturday afternoon at Hampden.
“I prefer that, I quite like that, there’s nothing wrong with that and it’s factual,” the Caley boss told Sky Sports. “Celtic are the champions; people give us no chance. Everybody knows it would be massive [if we beat Celtic]. We’re going to need a bit of luck, we’re going to need our goalkeeper to be on top form, we’re going to have to bring our A game.
“I don’t mind being written off because nobody expected us to be here, we’re here on merit after we got a bit of a break when Queens Park put us out and then we got reinstated.”
Dodds’s side will come into the game as huge outsiders, operating in a division below Celtic and only managing a 6th place finish in the Championship.
However, Inverness come into the final having already beaten multiple premiership opposition. “We have played Livingston in this competition, we have played Kilmarnock in this competition, we’ve beaten them. We, on our day with the group of lads that I have and how we’ve played in this competition can be a threat,” the former Scotland striker said.
Dodds believes in miracles and for him that’s what the Scottish Cup has always been about, including this season. “This competition is all about miracles and you look no further than this season when Darvel beat Aberdeen.
“That’s the kind of competition it’s been so far. Make no mistake, Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic have been brilliant all season and you see their form even in Saturday’s game against Aberdeen so we know we’re up against it, but I’ve got a team who on their day can certainly hurt teams.”
Caley Thistle have previously won a Scottish Cup in 2015, with some members of that team remaining today. “The 2015 cup winners are up on the wall in Aaron Doran and Danny Devine,” Dodds revealed.
Former Celtic player Ryan Christie was also part of that Inverness side who won the clubs first Scottish Cup.
Celtic fans will hope and expect that 2015 cup win will remain Caley Thistles only Scottish Cup as Ange’s side chase a historic treble.
🏆 “Celtic are the champions, people give us no chance…”
Billy Dodds doesn’t mind Inverness Caley Thistle being “written off” ahead of the Scottish Cup final 🔽 pic.twitter.com/bDG5mcnkzW
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) May 30, 2023
James French
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