McCann predicted Bairns success

John Hughes' side reached the final of the Scottish Cup against Rangers next month with a 2-0 win over Dunfermline at Hampden on Sunday.Falkirk are bottom of the Scottish Premier League and battling to avoid the drop but as a result of making the showpiece final for the first time since 1997, they will play in Europe for the first time next season as one of Scotland's Europa League representatives.The former Hearts and Rangers player, 34, signed for the Bairns in the close season after a second spell with the Tynecastle side with most people believing that he was simply running down his career.However, McCann revealed the extent of his ambition as he recalled a meeting with Craig last summer."Jackie McNamara and myself sat down with the chief executive George Craig and said that we would like to think that Falkirk would get into Europe," McCann said."George gave me a strange, puzzled look,"I think that look will be replaced by a wry smile the next time I see him."I thought it was possible with the squad that we have."We are all disappointed with the league position but the table doesn't lie."But we have more than enough to get ourselves out of this."Hopefully this feeling will carry us on in the league."It is important that everyone gets behind us now."It's the old cliche, we have to focus on the real job in hand, keeping our SPL status."Craig remembers all too well his conversation with McCann and is delighted to have been proved wrong.He said: "When I was speaking to Neil, he stressed that he did not want to come to Falkirk just to see out the last years of his career."But when he mentioned Europe, I had to remind him that the club had never played in Europe in its history."He just said, 'That's the challenge then.'"He also said that he wasn't finished with his medal collection yet and after every round we have shaken hands and recalled that conversation."I told him that my medal collection hadn't even started yet."I just hope he was meaning a winner's medal and not a loser's medal."But it is a great achievement for the club."As a born-and bred Falkirk fan, I was brought up by my father and grandfather on the tales of the side which won the Scottish Cup in 1957."It was a magical time for me and to think we can replicate that is fantastic."Craig admits that Falkirk will be massive underdogs to beat Rangers in the final.However, McCann offered hope to everyone connected with the Bairns when he revealed that he will be looking to keep his 100% record in the final of the competition intact.The former Scotland player won his first winner's medal with Hearts in 1998 - against Rangers - then picked up a further four in five years while at Ibrox"I've won five out of five Scottish Cup finals so hopefully that continues," he said."I remember how excited I was to reach a final when I was a young player."I feel exactly the same now, in the latter years of my career."I'm so happy for the gaffer and Brian Rice, they have come under a bit of fire from the fans."Maybe some of the ones who were disappointing in how things have gone, will now take note and see what we have actually achieved here."We have five massive games left in the league and if they get right behind us it could be a massive season." Falkirk 11/8, Motherwell 7/4, Draw 11/5  

Source: Team_Talk