He’s trying not to look far ahead but Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist admits a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance at Hampden would be special for him.
Here in Scotland we like to think our national stadium is globally regarded as one of the game’s iconic venues.
And, as he prepared for today’s quarter-final clash with Inverness Caley Thistle, the big Swiss is happy to confirm that.
“Reaching a semi-final would mean a lot. Me being a foreigner, if you will, I’ve never been to Hampden Park and that’s where the semis are,” he said.
“Even on the PlayStation when I was younger I’d pick it and definitely Hampden Park was one of the stadiums where you were like, ‘one day I want to play there’.
“It’s special the semi-final here is at a neutral venue like they do down in England with Wembley.
“The fans can look forward to it, so can the players. In Switzerland the semis are one game and you are drawn at home or away like every other round.
“We won’t get carried away, though, Hampden is the next step. We will have a hard battle against Inverness, maybe even harder than the first game (the 1-0 league win at Tannadice on Tuesday).
“They are a good team. They are good at what they do. They have a style of play and if they are good at it why not use it to your strength?
“If we play our way we can get the ball down and pass it through them and that’s what we must look to do.”
Siegrist admits playing the same opposition in back-to-back clashes just a few days apart presents its own challenges but insists United can rise to the occasion.
“It could work both ways, playing them twice so close together,” he added.
“You kind of get to know their mannerisms and we will look at Tuesday’s game and see the things we can do better, say we can do this or that.
“We will have a good look at the video and see what we might have to change but, of course, both teams can do that so it can go the other way as well.
“If it goes the same way and we get the same result we will be happy.
“If it is even tougher we just have to rise up to the challenge, embrace it.”
One thing that definitely does not worry him is the fact this will be a third outing in just over a week. For him, it’s a case of the more games the merrier.
“We have to recover well, train well and rest well.
“It has been a tough week with the games Saturday, Tuesday and now Sunday.
“I like that, though, why wouldn’t you?
“You get into the flow and if you win you have that momentum but if you lose there is the chance to put it right quickly. We look forward to playing them again on Sunday and I think everyone might be a bit more relaxed because it’s the cup.
“We have to enjoy that one. You’ve got to go out there and enjoy your football.”
In Tuesday’s single-goal Championship success against the Highlanders, Siegrist was a hero with a dramatic late save that kept United ahead.
For him he was just doing his job and he believes a five-game unbeaten run has been built on everyone doing theirs.
“There was a bit of deflection with the save at the end so I was pleased with it but, all in all, I didn’t have much to do, which is good. It shows we have defended well.
“Everyone is making a contribution. My save, Nicky’s goal, Ian Harkes blocked a shot on the line and that’s what you need to win games.”
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