Elgin City player manager and Caley Thistle 2015 Scottish Cup hero Ross Draper says Celtic are Scotland's best team "by some distance" and Inverness would have to cause one of the tournament's biggest-ever shocks to beat Ange Postecoglou's side
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Caley Thistle didn't handle being favourites to win the Scottish Cup in 2015, says current Elgin City player manager Ross Draper.
So being massive underdogs against treble-seekers Celtic in tomorrow's final at Hampden will suit Inverness, who will need to cause possible the greatest shock in the tournament's history to repeat their triumph of eight years ago.
So says Draper (34), one of the heroes of Caley Jags' historic 2-1 success over Falkirk.
A powerful midfielder for the Inverness side over five seasons and 170 appearances, Draper became a fans' favourite who played a key role in 2015 when the club lifted the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.
To replicate that glorious day tomorrow, Draper believes Jags will need to produce a monumental effort and hope for a big slice of good fortune if they are to cause a major upset.
"It would be a massive result if they could somehow do it, one of the biggest shocks," he said. "I’m struggling to think of a bigger Scottish Cup shock because of how good Celtic are going and where Inverness are, finishing sixth in the Championship.
Recently appointed as boss at Elgin, where he has been a player for the past two seasons, Draper has a lot of respect for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou and the job he has done at the Glasgow giants.
"You are playing against the best team in Scotland by some distance. Celtic have moved up in levels under Ange and I know that lower league teams have beaten Premiership teams in the third and fourth rounds but to beat someone like Celtic on cup final day, I can't think of a bigger shock than that."
Draper has been part of a winning Caley Thistle side against Celtic at Hampden, as he remembers the controversial 2015 semi final which Inverness won 3-2.
Current Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk gave the Glasgow men the lead with a free kick, before the referee missed a clear Josh Meekings handball which should have resulted in a penalty for Celtic and a red card for the Inverness defender.
That fate instead befell Celtic keeper Craig Gordon when he brought down Marley Watkins in the box and was dismissed in the second half, with Greg Tansey equalising from the spot.
In extra time Edward Ofere fired Inverness in front, before Draper fouled Scott Brown for a free kick which John Guidetti drilled home to make it 2-2.
But David Raven's late winner from a tight angle sent Caley Jags to the final, perhaps with a slice of luck as Draper admits.
There they took on Championship side Falkirk, with Premiership side Inverness expected to win the match. And they did – just – with Watkins scoring a first half opener before Carl Tremarco was sent off, Peter Grant levelled and James Vincent swept home a winner for the 10-man Caley Jags.
Read more: Caley Thistle's 2015 heroes - where are they now?
The good fortune of Caley Thistle escaping a red card and penalty against Celtic will be the kind of thing the Highland men will need to have going for them tomorrow, Draper believes.
"I won against Celtic in the semi when we were the underdogs and it was a little bit weird that we went into the cup final as favourites," Draper recalled. "We maybe struggled to deal with that if I’m being honest.
"The semi final against Celtic was tough and even then we had the luck with the handball and decisions that went for us.
"If Inverness can get that little bit of luck, if they can get a goal from a set-piece or hang in there for a 0-0, you just never know.
"There’s always an opportunity in football. If they could replicate what happened in 2015 it would be great for the club."
The Elgin City manager would love to have been been at Hampden cheering his old team on but he is away on a family holiday and plans to find a screen to watch the big match.
"I would have liked to have been there but I wish them all the best," he added.
"Hopefully they can get it done and it would be great for the city and the club – but it is a huge task in itself."
