Staggies striker living the dream

Paul di Giacomo will be idolised by thousands if he helps Ross County lift the Scottish Cup against Dundee United this weekend. But the Staggies striker will just be happy to be a hero to his young son when he runs out against Dundee United at Hampden.Di Giacomo is planning to turn Saturday's showpiece into a family affair and is desperate to make it an occasion to remember.The 27-year-old will be watched by eldest son Paolo who, at three, is only just beginning to comprehend what his father does for a living."He understands daddy has to try to score goals," said Di Giacomo."He'll pretend he's me scoring a goal out in the back garden."Hopefully, we can do well on Saturday and I can tell my wee boy about daddy playing in the cup final, show him the video."That would be great, especially if we win."That's what it's all about."With an Italian heritage, it is hardly a surprise that family comes first for Di Giacomo.It was the sole consideration when the forward decided to uproot his wife and two sons from their Glasgow home and move 180 miles north to Inverness last summer."The manager, Derek Adams, wanted to sign me the previous summer but I said no to him," revealed Di Giacomo, who instead joined Airdrie United after a decade at Kilmarnock."I'm a Glasgow boy, I've got two young children and I didn't want to come all the way up to Inverness, where I stay."It was a big move, a big commitment to have to uproot everybody."But after speaking to my wife about it, we decided to come up and make a go of it and it's been fantastic."I spoke to the manager and he was very positive about the place - said I would enjoy it and that is was a great place for children."He's right: it is."He never once mentioned anything about a Scottish Cup final!"Indeed, no-one at Irn-Bru First Division County could have imagined the club would find themselves in their first ever cup final.That they have done is down to the greatest result in their history: last month's shock semi-final victory against Celtic.Di Giacomo was an unused substitute that day and said: "The 11 that played were doing such a good job, they didn't need me!"It was just un unbelievable achievement and credit to the 11 that played."Hopefully, whoever's playing Saturday can achieve something similar."The striker has been back in the side since and is desperate to start this weekend.He added: "I've a lot of friends and family coming to the game."There were 35 tickets I had ordered."They're a mixture of fans: Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle."The wee fella will be kitted out."Hopefully, it's sunny on the day so the kids can wear their strips."If we win, a steward cannot stop me getting my kids on to the park."I'll have my wee boy on my shoulders."It would just be fantastic."Di Giacomo has dreamt of playing in a cup final ever since he was a child and hopes he can inspire his son to do the same."My boy may be a bit too young to be thinking of that but in three or four years' time, he might be," he said."When I was a wee boy playing in my back garden with my pals, that's what I was thinking: scoring a goal in the cup final."It'd be amazing."We're not getting carried away. We've still got 90 minutes against a really, really good team, but a team we're capable of beating."

Source: Team_Talk