A tie of discovery for Aberdeen
skipper kerr assesses dens park draw, while cup takes butcher and malpas back to the well
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Aberdeen captain Mark Kerr believes the Dons will be facing a side good enough for the SPL when they play Dundee in the League Cup.
The Dons have been drawn away to the First Division title favourites.
Jocky Scott’s Dark Blues have faced the Dons already this season, drawing 1-1 when the teams met at Dens Park in pre-season.
Dons skipper Kerr said: “When I saw the teams come out my initial reaction was it was a hard draw.
“Dundee have made a lot of good signings and they have a healthy squad. They have a lot of players with SPL experience.
“It is a cup tie so it will be an exciting match and I know we will have a great support down at the game which will make for a cracking atmosphere.”
Caley Thistle will travel to Fir Park to play Motherwell, with Inverness manager Terry Butcher and his assistant Maurice Malpas returning to their former club.
Malpas spent less than a year in charge at Well and said: “I am looking forward to going back.
“Although Motherwell have changed their squad about this year, we should not have any fears about going there.
“There are a lot of people there behind the scenes who helped Terry and I and we still keep in touch with some of them.
“I have a lot of time for the club, but we will go there and try to knock them out of the League Cup.”
Ross County manager Derek Adams believes the Dingwall club could not have been given a harder draw in the competition – albeit at home. The Staggies have been paired with Craig Levein’s Dundee United, who are tipped to finish third in the SPL.
Adams said: “United are riding high in the SPL. I watched them in the pre- season against Caley Thistle and it will be difficult for us.
“I am happy with the draw from the point of view that we would expect a big crowd.
“Dundee United are an excellent side who pass the ball well and it will be a tough test for us.”
Gordon Chisholm insists Rangers will face a totally different Queen of the South team in their third-round match from the Doonhamers side which ran them close in the 2008 Scottish Cup final.
He said: “I don’t know about it being a rerun of the cup final. It’s a completely different team which played in the cup final so I would never say it’s going to be like that.
“I don’t see them getting caught with the conditions and things like that but I think at Palmerston, a tight ground and with a full house, it will give our players a lift.”
Former Celtic captain Tom Boyd believes the Parkhead men face a tricky away tie at Falkirk, even though the Bairns have lost their first three SPL games.
Boyd said: “I know Falkirk have their problems at this stage of the season but it is a one-off cup competition.”
Hearts take on First Division Dunfermline, while there are two all-SPL ties with Kilmarnock facing St Mirren and Hibernian playing St Johnstone.
Readers' Comments
Please, please do not ask any of the players what they are going to do to Dundee in the League Cup,and certainly don`t print any more annual garbage, heard it all before and sadly have witnessed all the previous cup ties in this and other cup tournaments, just ACTUALLY " turn up" at this one and let your performances on the park do all the talking.
Ian Reid
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