As he prepares to take his first trip to Hampden in charge of Kilmarnock, Kenny Shiels is not taken in by the general view that Ayr United are the underdogs in Saturday's League Cup semi-final. United's manager, Brian Reid, has been keen to stress the differences between Killie and his own Irn-Bru First Division club in the build-up to the last-four clash. However, Sheils has seen Ayr get past three SPL teams on their road to Hampden already, Shiels insists their opponents are no less capable of booking a place in the final than Killie. He said: "I have managed part-time teams against full-time teams and there is no such thing as part-time football. The boys are more professional now, they will have done their work and I guarantee they will have done as much work as us and they will be well rested. I've been in that position and what you do, as a manager, is you bring it up all the time to try to use it to take the pressure off your players. And I can see that is happening. We were just waiting for that old chestnut to come out. I don't blame Brian for doing that, it's a method of trying to take the pressure off his players. But deep down he knows it's not really a disadvantage. He is working really hard to be the underdog and I can appreciate that." Shiels knows the chance to book a meeting with Falkirk or Celtic in the final is a big deal for his players and he has made a conscious effort to play down the whole idea that they are on the verge of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He said: "I'm looking more for the opposite effect. I want them to understand that it's a game of football. If they can focus on endeavouring to win a game of football, that's the key. The rewards obviously are in their heads but we want to try to eliminate that from their thoughts and try to get them to focus on winning a game of football." On the prospect of reaching the final, Shiels added: "It would be great. I really would be so proud to do that. Outside of the Old Firm, the opportunities don't come that often. It's my first season in Scotland and it would be really, really good. I would be very proud personally but I would also be proud for the club and the players."
Source: FOOTYMAD
