He is the last man to lift the Scottish Cup as Aberdeen captain, but Alex McLeish would love nothing more than to lose his tag this weekend.
Ryan Jack is struggling to make the game due to a groin tear so Graeme Shinnie is poised to don the captain’s armband for the game against a Celtic side one game away from only the fourth domestic treble in its history.
Brendan Rodgers’ side is overwhelming favourites following a dominant campaign but McLeish believes an upset is on the cards.
All he is asking is for the Dons to show the same belief he has.
McLeish said: “This is a very good Aberdeen team and they don’t need me to tell them that. They know it.
“Celtic have proven they are the best over the season, but Aberdeen can be better in 90 or 120 minutes if that’s what it takes.
“All they have to do is believe it. If they do they can record another fantastic result in the history of the club.”
Having served the Dons with distinction as a player, becoming a mainstay of the best team in the club’s history, McLeish admits to being biased in backing the Reds to cause a cup upset at Hampden.
But he insists the anguish the Dons players felt at failing to perform in the League Cup final in November can be a huge factor as they try to win the cup for the eighth time in the club’s history.
He said: “Celtic will be firm favourites and rightly so as they have enjoyed a phenomenal season, but they will face an Aberdeen side determined to make amends for its performance in the League Cup final.
“I’m a big admirer of Derek McInnes and he has proven himself to be an outstanding coach. His approach will not be a tactical one, it doesn’t need to be. It has to be a motivational one.
“He will believe his team can win and his job all week will be to convince his players they can win it too.
“That’s why the Dons have to do all the things they didn’t in the League Cup final. I’m talking about things like winning the 50-50 balls, not letting the Celtic players get on to their strongest foot and control the play and ensuring it is Kenny McLean who dictates the game and not the Celtic captain, Scott Brown.”
McLeish will be at the national stadium to watch the Dons go for the cup and he has urged the Aberdeen manager and his players not to worry about entertaining, but focus on winning.
He said: “I’ll be at Hampden as I’m working for television and I’m looking forward to the game.
“Hopefully it will be an Aberdeen win as I’d love nothing better than to lose my tag as the last man to captain a Scottish Cup winning Dons side.
“I’d love Aberdeen to win the cup and I make no excuses for saying that. I have friends who are Celtic supporters, but I know they can appreciate the fact my Aberdeen career brings back massive memories for me.
“I loved my time at Pittodrie.
“The cup final is not about systems or playing well. It’s about winning.
“When the Dons beat Caley Thistle to win the League Cup in 2014 it was far from a classic.
“But did any Aberdeen supporter care? No, not one of them.
“It will be the same again on Saturday.”