John Barnes in 2000. Martin O’Neill in 2003. Ronny Deila in 2015.
The connection?
They’ve all come a cropper against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup in the last 23 years.
You see that’s the kind of statistic that should give Billy Dodds’ rank outsiders hope come Saturday.
Yes, Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic can be relentless and ruthless at times.
Yes, Celtic are homing in on a world record eighth domestic treble.
Yes, you have to go some to beat a club like Celtic, especially in the Mount Florida bowl.
The 2023 Scottish Cup final is the archetypal David v Goliath clash.
The Highlanders shouldn’t stand a chance but they most certainly do.
It may well be remote but it’s still a chance.
ICT were toast over world football
Everybody remembers where they were when ‘Super Caley’ went ballistic and upset the Scottish football formbook back in 2000.
That result did for John Barnes as Hoops manager as Inverness shocked and became the overnight toast of world football.
Dennis Wyness also put Martin O’Neill’s class of 2003 to the sword just 72 hours after the Hoops had gone to Anfield and did a number on Liverpool in the UEFA cup quarter-final.
Josh Meekings certainly had more than a ‘Hand of God’ role in the Highlanders’ sensational victory against Celtic in the 2015 Scottish Cup semi-final.
That 3-2 extra-time result put paid to Norwegian Deila’s hopes of completing a domestic clean sweep. Miracles can happen – especially in the cup.
In 1988, Celtic famously won the League and Scottish Cup double in their centenary year.
You want to know what else happened that year?
Wimbledon beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Cue the legendary John Motson with one of the greatest lines of commentary ever uttered: “The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club!”
It certainly was a weird and wonderful if you came from Wimbledon that year.
Which is why Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic have to treat Inverness with caution and give them the respect that they deserve.
What a run all the way to Hampden
They’ve earned that much especially owing to their historic cup exploits against Celtic
Caley Thistle are worthy adversaries, and they are in the cup final alongside the men in green and white on merit.
How the Highlanders have made the most of their reprieve after Queen’s Park committed the schoolboy error of fielding an ineligible player after beating Inverness 2-0 in an earlier round.
If I were Inverness manager Billy Dodds during cup final week, I would be on the blower to the likes of former Caley Jags managers Steve Paterson, John Robertson and John Hughes to pick their brains on how to plot the downfall of Celtic.
For nothing else other than to give Dodds and his men some good old-fashioned inspiration.
ICT’s cup wins should concern Celts
Come this weekend at the national stadium, the smart money points to a resounding Celtic victory and a world record eighth domestic treble.
Although it’s the Holy Trinity of Barnes, O’Neill and Deila, that gives this season’s Scottish Cup final its layer of intrigue.
That particular treble is enough to give every Celtic supporter the collywobbles – isn’t it?
What’s the ‘Dodds’ on lightning striking four times when it comes to Inverness downing Celtic in the Scottish Cup?
Surely Postecoglou’s name can’t be added to the Highlanders list of Celtic Scottish Cup managerial scalps – can it?
- Tony Haggerty writes for The Celtic Way. He worked on the sports desk of the Scottish Daily Record for more than 20 years.
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