Don Cowie is determined lead Ross County to Hampden Park – having never experienced a cup run to the national stadium as a player.
The Staggies face League Two side Spartans in the last-16 of the Premier Sports Cup at Ainslie Park this weekend.
It follows an excellent group campaign, in which they finished as winners of their section with a 100% record.
The Staggies have not appeared at Hampden Park since lifting the League Cup with victory over Hibernian in 2016.
Cowie, who returned to County as a player two years later, did not reach the latter stages of the competition with either spell with the Dingwall outfit, or his two-and-a-half year stint at Hearts.
South of the border, the midfielder was part of the Cardiff City team which reached the Carling Cup final in 2012, netting a penalty in the Bluebirds’ spot-kick defeat to Liverpool.
Having now become County manager, Cowie is eager to change his cup fortunes in Scotland.
He said: “In Scotland, I don’t have too many cup memories. Unfortunately, I didn’t get too far in the competitions I played in.
“I never got to Hampden, or anything like that. I want to make sure my players have that opportunity.
“I have made no secret that I want to get to Hampden and the latter stages of the cup.
“Once you are in there, it can be anybody’s. We will respect our opponent on Saturday, in Spartans, but we have to believe and be confident.
“There are other teams, who are on par with us in terms of size of club, who have got to Hampden in recent years.
“It doesn’t have to be the same teams all the time and that has been proven.
“Why can’t it be us this time? That has been the message from the start of the tournament.”
Cowie explains why Spartans cannot be taken lightly
County will face Spartans for the first time when they make the trip to Ainslie Park on Saturday.
The Edinburgh outfit reached the promotion play-offs in their maiden Scottish league season last term.
Having advanced as group winners from a section which included Championship sides Livingston and Dunfermline, Cowie is wary of their threat.
He added: “Football is not played on paper. Just because where we are compared to Spartans in the football pyramid means nothing.
“We have proven that time and time again, playing against the bigger clubs. It is about making sure you are ready.
“Spartans are at this stage of the competition for a reason. They also got out of a group with two Championship teams.
“We were delighted to do that, so they should be. It is a great achievement and they have taken four points from their first two league games.
“They will be feeling really confident. They are at home and will be trying to make the most of it.
“They were very close to promotion last season and they have built on that.
“It is a challenge and a difficult game but we go there with belief we can get into the next round.”
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