Dundee United boss Peter Houston has called on his players to ensure that Sunday’s stunning Scottish Cup triumph over Rangers at Ibrox at the weekend is the start of something big.
The Tangerines were at their Sunday best in Govan as they outfought and outclassed Ally McCoist’s side to win 2-0 and set up a quarter-final meeting with the other half of the Old Firm.
However, the Tannadice boss is insisting his players retain their focus on league business and securing a top-six finish, starting against St Johnstone in Perth on Saturday.
He said: ”Spirits are high because of Sunday’s result but I have told the players to put it behind them and focus on the SPL now. The big test for teams like us is to come off the back of a big result like that and keep it going.
”We have seen so many times in the past after a team getting a good result, someone falling flat on their face. So that’s something we don’t want to happen.
”The game against St Johnstone this weekend is as tough as they come because, for me, they are one of the teams of the season. They have done really well and Steve Lomas has maintained the good work Derek McInnes had done.
”St Johnstone are a team full of experience so it’s going to be a tough match. The games between the teams over the last few years have been really close there have been a lot of draws and we have edged a couple of them.
”The big thing for us is to make sure we are at it. We have had the praise and a pat on the back but it’s time to focus on the hard work again. We got a lot plaudits but it was one match. We caught Rangers on an off day and we were on a good day so I’m not getting carried away with it.
”The league is our bread and butter. We need a few results to get us where we want to be.”
Houston admits he has a lingering regret that he was denied the opportunity to utilise the goalscoring talents of St Johnstone man Fran Sandaza when he was at Tannadice.
The Spanish striker left after an injury-plagued final season to ply his trade at Brighton but he was released by Seagulls boss Gus Poyet in May last year.
Former St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes then lured Sandaza back north again and he has been banging in the goals for Saints, netting 15 times so far this season.
With United facing the Perth men this weekend, Houston has issued a warning to his players to beware the ”one that got away.”
He said: ”I would have loved to have been able to play Fran Sandaza but I was unfortunate that, during the time after I took over from Craig Levein, he wasn’t available to us.
”I always knew he was a quality player but because of his injury we couldn’t get him on the park. And he was a high earner not playing.
”When he was fit again, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie were scoring goals and, to be fair to Fran, he felt he could go to England and play. He didn’t leave here because anyone thought he was a bad player. It was just down to the fact we couldn’t get him in the team and he was a high earner.
”It is no surprise at all to see him do so well for St Johnstone and I am delighted for him. He gave us a hard time when we last played them so we have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
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