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Some merit in what you say Joe, but the SFA received many brickbats, deservedly, for not doing enough and leaving it to others. Many positive suggestions were given to them, but as always they knew best.

3-1

Really enjoyed watching that and listening to the players talking.

There WAS supposedly a deal in place to properly upgrade Hampden years ago, but the bulldozers were pulled away from the door by Thatcher in 1979 after an underhand deal was allegedly done to try and promote Ibrox as the new venue for internationals and Cup Finals. Just one of the many reasons she was booed roundly when she presented that years Scottish Cup. The SFA get a hard time over this but they have done what was possible with the money that they had. The FA didnt rebuild Wembley with their own money. Private enterprise did most of the work with significant input from the government and National Lottery. Same deal with the Millenium. If there is any blame to be apportioned at the SFA it would be in not being politically astute enough to play the game.

The defence have had another 2 weeks training with Ward to repair any confidence issues. I expect they will have his back. Its what good team mates do! 🧡❤️🧡

There are very few teams in Scotland that will be able to press us as high as Celtic did and get away with it. Thats pretty much why teams like Aberdeen, St Mirren and Hearts (second half) have backed off a bit. I hope Falkirk do go high. We have the better players, so we will play around them. If they sit off us, it could be a longer afternoon. Fingers crossed we can remain error free this week as we really need to start putting some points on the board! Has all the makings of an entertaining game!

Ironically I think teams being encouraged to press us theoretically helps. If we get through the press and turned then they are exposed to danger. Had Ward executed the pass v Celtic we would have eliminated 5 of their players who were all in a high press. I think we struggle a bit when, like Aberdeen, there is a 'lazy press' where they're relatively high, but sitting off, so less easy to play through.

It’s to be expected that Falkirk and every other side we face for that matter will look to pressure Ward as they will believe there is that error in him. And I don’t see us not conceding tomorrow so we need to help ourselves out by doing the business up the other end. These are 100% the type of games that we need to be winning and make home advantage and our good play count.

For all the plaudits we are getting we need to start getting some wins. Got a decent run coming up so need to turn the good play into points. I have no doubt Ward will start tomorrow but I wonder if defence will trust him as much to give him the ball, will also be nervousness from crowd every time he has ball plus I am sure Falkirk will try and exploit this. Though let Falkirk worry about us and hopefully we can get a fine victory COYW

Wee grumpy Chris Long playing for Brisbane Roar this morning ( or should I say evening)

It all boils down to the fact that the original refurbishment of Hampden in the 1990s was a cheap and nasty sticking plaster job. That said, finances were tight at the time (aren't they always?) but not nearly enough effort was put into fund raising. Ye reap what ye sow.

If the money had been spent on Hampden for a proper upgrade, ie bringing the west and east terraces closer to the pitch to improve the view then yes it would be worthy. But as the SFA have been a shambles for years, too busy making sure their own interests and expense paid jaunts all over the world are sorted first nothing ever gets done. So year after year thousands of fans are paying for a ticket at the front of the east or West stands to get a severely restricted view if at all of the game.

Oscar Priestman talks

The gaffer said

Mother in law and Sister in law just confirmed they have tickets for Hampden They are not Well regulars , and not Motherwell fans either preferring another club but do hold a soft spot genuinely for us . Must admit I was shocked but great at the same time people are taking an interest in this game and each to their own on this topic It is up to the likes of people like me to keep the interest going , and is definitely improving in that sense . Needing more converts 🤣

Of course we have every chance but it will be very, very tough and you can see them drawing us into a battle like they so often do. That will almost certainly be Robinson’s aim to get physical, get in our faces and disrupt our rhythm. My fear is that we just aren’t clinical enough and are ropy at the back and this is the type of tie that I reckon will be decided by a single goal or else on a penalty shootout. St.Mirren have already beaten Hearts and Kilmarnock on penalties in this competition and they’d be confident of doing the same to us should it get that far. On the other hand maybe we will finally find our shooting boots and we will sweep them aside 3-0 like we did with St.Johnstone in the Scottish Cup Semi all those years ago…

Our cup record against St Mirren is abysmal but frankly I wouldn't bet against us these days. There is not one team that has played us off the park and but for OUR own ability to shoot ourselves in the foot we could quite easily be top of the league right now and no one could argue against it based on our general standard of play. I happy for us to face anyone right now, I have no fear facing anyone in the league or the Cup. Do I think we have better players than St Mirren ? Yes I do and all things being equal the team with better players should win. However we all know that's not always the way. St Mirren are big strong and physical and they never give up. Does that mean we will beat St Mirren , no it doesn't , but there is absolutely no reason why we can't.

Per JBA interview sounds like we should have a stronger squad for this game with Sparrow, Just and Hendry in full training all this week. I think Slattery probably still missing but hopefully back for game after this. Falkirk are no mugs but I’d love to see us hammer them but more than happy to win by a single goal, hopefully maintaining our entertaining football.

I always think it's an easy cop out saying hampden is a shit hole. Park head and ibrox are no better facility wise and are only better in their seating behind the goals. Murrayfield behind goals is as far away as hampden imo so saying it's not worthy of a final is harsh. Yes I'd love a Wembley or millennium but the constant knocking of our national stadium is as I said harsh. Where would you say is worthy of a final in Scotland

The other reason that was given when they started having all the semis at Hampden (other than getting use out of a white elephant) was that it helped the smaller clubs in that they could get used to playing there so they weren't disadvantaged getting to the final and playing Rangers and Celtic who were more used to being there. Lot of shite obviously but that was one of the excuses/reasons given...

There is no real need for the semi finals to be at a neutral venue, just play them like any other round of the cup, and keep Hampden for finals only.

Whoops!! Forgot about that

It’s a wee while away yet but I already get the gut feeling that this one is going to be a sickener for us. But we’ll cross that bridge nearer the time. I love Hampden and am more than happy to be going there for the SF. I don’t care if it’s half empty and therefore how it looks to the viewing public or what it does for the reputation of Scottish football, I’d much rather play a Semi Final there than at an Easter Road, Tynecastle or a Rugby Park type venue.

If they ever decide to play a semi final on the plastic at Rugby Park, I am giving up on the game. I have no problem paying them at neutral grounds, but grass needs to be involved.