HOT AND COLD ABOUT WHO I WANT IN FINAL

THE big question after another incredible Scottish Cup weekend is whether the SFA will get out the old hot and cold balls for today's last-four draw.

And, no, that's the not the start of a smutty joke.

It used to be said that if both halves of the Old Firm were in the hat, a way was found to make sure there was at least a chance of a Celtic-Rangers final.

While I would never suggest any skulduggery took place - perish the thought - it was always strange that somehow the two never seemed to meet in the earlier rounds until recent times.

The theory was that one ball, with Celtic's number on it, was placed in a fridge overnight, while Rangers' got a good old heat in the oven so whoever was making the draw would be able to keep them apart.

The reason I bring this up is because it seems that almost the entire Scottish football community wants an all-Edinburgh final.

And I'm sure there will be some cynics out there who believe the powers that be would do anything to ensure this happens.

A Hearts-Hibs Scottish Cup Final does have a certain ring to it. That game, I'm sure, would prove to be a fantastic end to what has been the most remarkable of seasons.

Sponsors Tennent's would love it almost as much as us in the media.

But here's a thing.

I have spoken to a lot of supporters of the capital teams in recent weeks and they tell me they would rather be drawn together in the semi-finals for one simple reason.

Losing to their bitterest rivals in the Final itself would be far too much to take. Sure, winning it would make it the greatest day of their lives and one which would be talked and sung about forever.

But imagine being a Hibee and having to watch Hearts parade the Scottish Cup.

Imagine being a Jambo and the sight in front of you is the green and white half of Hampden singing and dancing. Their 104 years of hurt gone in the space of an afternoon.

Why risk such utter heartache?

An all-Edinburgh semi-final would be almost as tense and awful but wonderful at the same time.

But the pain would be just about manageable for the losers.

Personally, I would like to see Hearts and Hibs meet in the semi-finals as it would only be fitting if a lower league side got to the Final this year.

It's been that kind of competition in that kind of season.

If Hearts and Hibs do come up against each other in the semi-finals the cup winners will come from that game.

I went with my old club at the start so I'll stick by Tony Mowbray's men who got a great result at Falkirk. Oh, and stop all this talk immediately about playing a Hearts-Hibs confrontation at Murrayfield.

Hampden is the home of Scottish football. It's where we all dreamed of playing as wee boys and it's the place where every fan fantasises about watching their team win a trophy.

When I was with Hibs we won the League Cup in 1991 and it was fantastic to see 40,000 of our fans at Hampden.

Hearts, of course, lifted the Scottish Cup in 1998 but that was at Celtic Park.

The fans had a great day but I'll bet they would much rather the game had been at Hampden.

Murrayfield is a great stadium but it's for the rugby boys who were magnificent on Saturday. That was their day, let football have its in the famous old Mount Florida bowl.

Another argument for the two Edinburgh clubs meeting in the semis is that at least just about every fan who wanted to be at the Final would be able to get there because I can't see Dundee, Hamilton or Gretna bringing tens of thousands with them and generating the annual disagreement about ticket allocation.

People would sell their own mothers into slavery for a ticket to an all-Edinburgh final. It would be nice to avoid that.

I would love to see Dundee, Hamilton or the remarkable Gretna get to the Final but my good feelings towards them do have a limit.

It could well be the case that the Scottish Cup runners-up qualify for Europe and I'm sorry but that's plain wrong.

If you win our national cup tournament then you get everything you deserve. But I've felt for a while that getting to a final and losing should not give a team a place in European football.

Fantastic achievement it may be, but winning five matches should not be rewarded with a UEFA Cup slot at the expense of the side which has done well over a season in the SPL.

That's something for the SFA to look at while they search for those hot and cold balls.

Taken from the Daily Record