INVERNESS Caledonian Thistle could find themselves censured by the SFA compliance officer, Tony McGlennan, after failing to fulfil their contractual media obligations ahead of this afternoon's William Hill Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.

The Highland club, who have based themselves in Edinburgh this week in preparation for today's meeting against Falkirk, snubbed the traditional pre-match press briefing where they were contracted to present the manager, John Hughes, and club captain, Graeme Shinnie, ahead of the game.

Their decision not to appear did little to aid the showpiece match's scope for publicity at a time when Peter Houston, the Bairns manager, was bemoaning the already-diluted coverage of a final which clashes with the Premiership play-off final.

SFA stipulations request the presence of both managers and captains on the eve of the game to promote it and to meet the demands of the Cup sponsor. Inverness instead sent Russell Latapy, the assistant manager, and Richie Foran in place of Hughes and Shinnie. Foran has not played a game since March 2014 because of injury.

Both Latapy and Foran offered their apologies on behalf of the club. "The manager is taking the team in preparation for the Cup final. We wanted to do some final preparations so the manager is doing it," said Latapy. "We discussed the last minute preparations on Thursday and there were some extra bits and bobs we wanted to do and felt John should stay and do it. We apologise but in our mind getting our players to focus on the Scottish Cup final is most important and that is what the manager is doing - and rightly so."

The apology is unlikely to be well received by either the SFA or William Hill. A source close to the Cup sponsors said: "It is very disrespectful, both to us and to the SFA."

Hughes was named as the Manager of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers' on Sunday evening and his failure to appear for the press conference will almost inevitably result in a fine for the Highland club, who are appearing in their first Scottish Cup Final.

A statement released by the SFA last night read: "The situation is especially disappointing since both clubs have contributed greatly to the build-up ahead of the season's showpiece event. Neither the Scottish FA nor William Hill was advised by the club that they would be unable to fulfil the Sponsorship and Broadcasting Matters, as defined within section 7.1 in early course.

"We will be writing to Inverness Caledonian Thistle to remind them of their media obligations. The Scottish FA informs all participating clubs of their media and sponsorship obligations prior to each round and considers today's situation to be disrespectful to the competition and to one of the Scottish football's most valued sponsors."

Houston believes the Scottish Cup final should be given its place each season and not held in the same week as the SPFL Premiership play-off. The build-up to Scottish football's showpiece event between Houston's side and Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Hampden this afternoon has been somewhat overshadowed by the two-legged play-off tie between Motherwell and Rangers, the second leg of which takes place at Fir Park tomorrow.

With the Championship season having finished on May 2, Falkirk have been without a game now for four weeks. Houston believes playing the final earlier in the month would also make it easier for lower league clubs, five of whom have now reached the Scottish Cup final over the past decade, as well as giving the occasion uninterrupted coverage.

"If we have to wait for play-offs and things like that [should] we have a situation where the Scottish Cup final comes before the play-offs?" wondered Houston, bidding to become only the third manager to win the trophy with two different teams having previously triumphed with Dundee United in 2010.

"The normal date is around the middle of May. It was May 15 for United [five years ago] and May 17 for St Johnstone last year. So that's our norm, should we keep it at that?

"That would mean if the Championship finished on May 2 and you weren't in the play-offs and you were in the cup final you would only have a two-week break. And I think that's a bit closer.

"We have had to wait since May 2 but forget it with regards to this year - I am not making any excuses. But I genuinely believe, from now, if you look at Scottish Cup finals over the last 10 or 12 years, you have had your Queen of the Souths, your Gretnas, your Ross Countys, and Falkirks - more and more First Division/Championship teams are getting to cup finals.

"But I think they plan the cup final on the [assumption] that it's going to be Celtic versus Rangers or Celtic versus Aberdeen or Rangers versus Dundee United. That's the way it starts out. But it's not working out that way. I certainly think if more Championship teams are getting to cup finals - which has happened in recent years - maybe we should look at doing it before the play-offs are played and leave the play-offs to last."

Falkirk have beaten Cowdenbeath, Brechin City, Queen of the South and Hibernian to reach the final but Houston doesn't want any credit just for reaching this point should his team end up losing to Inverness.

"I don't want a pat on the back for getting Falkirk to the cup final, I'll only want a pat on the back if we win the cup final," he added. "Once you are there you are only there to win it. I won't sit on Saturday night wherever I am and think: "Ach well, we did well to get to the cup final". Trust me. I'll be as gutted as losing to Alloa away. That's just me and I hope the players are the same and don't feel they have achieved anything by getting to a cup final.

"We're desperate to win it and I'm desperate to win it and not from a personal point of view. I re-live 2010 and the scenes, the punters, the players, the bevvy, the night out, whatever you want to call it, all that married into one, I'll never ever forget that."

Houston, though, did concede that a part of him would be happy for opposite number John Hughes should Inverness end up lifting the trophy.

"I have huge respect for Yogi, I think he's a really funny guy," he added. "I've had a couple of texts from him since the semi-final. I'm desperate to win it but a wee part of me when it all settles down will say "well done Yogi, you've earned it"."