Source: Team_Talk
Danny expects place on the bench
Danny Cadamarteri admits it would be unfair for him to start Dundee United's Scottish Cup clash with Raith Rovers on Sunday.[LNB] Cadamarteri, who burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old at Everton, came close to reaching the last four of the FA Cup back in 1999, but knockout competitions have otherwise not been kind to the striker.[LNB]And despite United having reached Sunday's semi-final at Hampden, he looked set to miss out again after suffering a serious calf injury back in January.[LNB]His luck appeared to turn when he recovered last week and played a part in Monday night's Scottish Premier League victory at St Johnstone.[LNB]But Cadamarteri believes the best he can hope for this weekend is another substitute appearance, and even admits it would not be right for him to oust the in-form Jon Daly and David Goodwillie from the side.[LNB]"Jon Daly and Dave Goodwillie have formed a great partnership in the absence of myself, and Francisco Sandaza and Damian Casalinuovo as well," said Cadamarteri.[LNB]"The manager picks the team and if he calls on me, I'll do my best. But the boys who have started have done really well and deserve their opportunities."[LNB]Not that the summer signing from Huddersfield would turn down the chance to play in the business end of the Scottish Cup, a competition he insists bears comparison with its English counterpart.[LNB]"The buzz about the cup up here is the same as the buzz back in England when I've played in the FA Cup," he said.[LNB]"We've progressed further here than I've progressed at any other club.[LNB]"From a personal point of view, I came up here to play in these games, play at Hampden, try to progress in the Scottish Cup, play against Rangers and Celtic and try to get into Europe."[LNB]For now, Cadamarteri is just pleased to be fully fit and admits his frustration at missing a third of the season might have boiled over had United not hit a rich vein of form in his absence.[LNB]"It softened the blow the fact the boys are playing really well," he said of a run that has seen the Tangerines take a stranglehold on third place in the SPL.[LNB]"I don't want to be injured, I don't want to be sat watching, but I'd have been more frustrated had we been struggling."[LNB]United are hot favourites for Sunday's game against John McGlynn's Irn-Bru First Division side, but Cadamarteri has been on the wrong end of a giant killing before, even if he cannot remember Everton's 3-0 FA Cup thrashing by Tranmere in 2001.[LNB]"I'm 30 now, I can't remember what I did last week, never mind 14 years ago," he joked.[LNB]"I try not to look back so much to the past. I want to look to the future and be looking at the Scottish Cup final."[LNB]Cadamarteri believes lifting the Scottish Cup would be among the highlights of his career, alongside winning Merseyside derbies and earning England Under-21 caps.[LNB]"It would be fantastic, it would be up there with the biggest highlights," he said. "But it's very premature at the moment.[LNB]"I want to be stood speaking to you in a week or so's time and talking about the final then. We've got the semi-final to go first.[LNB]"We can't just go out there and expect we're going to win it."[LNB]
