Clued up

Last week Walter Smith said:

We have a cup final to play on Sunday. But we have a whole load of cup finals to play if we are going to succeed this season. When you see today’s game, you see the difficulties that you have to overcome if you are going to win a Treble.

I feel just now that talk of winning a Treble, people saying we’ve won the league because we’ve got a gap, is really premature.

I know everyone is saying I’m just playing at it when I say that. But this shows that it’s not the case. I’m making a realistic appraisal of what we have to do between now and the end of the season if we are going to succeed.

We now find ourselves in a really tough replay at Tannadice — and we might still have to go there twice in the championship. So the assumption that everyone is making is, in my view, not taking into account what we will have to do between now and the end of the season.

On Tuesday I said:

I think, and I'm probably not alone, that Rangers delivered the first leg of a treble at Hampden.

This, probably, is why Walter Smith is a successful football manager. And I'm just an arsehole.

Congratulations to Dundee United for having the belief to keep going in both the first match at Ibrox and again last night.

They won't be underestimating Raith Rovers. But I'm sure they'll already be dreaming of a May final at Tannadice.

Semi Final draw in full:

• Celtic v Ross County (Saturday 10th April, Sky @ 12.15pm)
• Dundee United v Raith Rovers (Sunday 11th April, 3pm)