Kilmarnock will be 16/5 to reach the quarter-finals of the William Hill Scottish Cup when they travel to Pittodrie for today’s fifth-round tie against Aberdeen.
The Dons are odds-on to prevail in spite of the fact they’re winless in four and haven’t scored from open play since Boxing Day. Currently fourth in the Premiership table behind over-achieving Motherwell, they don’t have their problems to seek.
It is, though, a mere mini-crisis compared to what today’s opponents have had to contend with this season. Last term Steve Clarke guided them to third pace, their highest finish for 53 years. Unfortunately, his successor, Angelo Alessio, failed to live up to chairman Billy Bowie’s hubristic boast that he was “the best manager in the country” and he was gone before Christmas.
Killie struggled and, consequently, so did lone striker Eamonn Brophy, who made his Scotland debut against Cyprus in June but then scored only once in 14 appearances between July and November. In the last week he has ended a goal drought lasting over two months by scoring in the wins over Ross County and Hearts but there have been more than a few long, dark nights of the soul for him to contend with.
Then again, overcoming the odds is something the 23-year-old has specialised in for almost a decade now.
“I’ve been in worse situations,” he said. “When I went to Hamilton, I didn’t have a club for seven months but that helped me mentally because it made me a lot stronger and I learned to take things in my stride.
“Like most folk, I’ve had tough times in the game since I was a wee kid. I’ve been told I wasn’t good enough at every club I’ve been at since I was 14 – by Celtic, Hibs and even Hamilton.
“Each time I’ve had doubters and, at the start of this season, people questioned me because I wasn’t scoring goals and the team wasn’t winning. I don’t have a problem with that because everyone has their opinions but I just want to prove them wrong.
“I’ve been able to deal with that on my own, although it’s helped having my family behind me. Plus, the older you get, the more you learn to cope with that kind of thing.
“Obviously, you want everything to be smooth sailing but it doesn’t work that way. Plus it’s only been a week – with three goals in two games – so nothing’s changed dramatically but, hopefully, I can kick on from here.”
Killie have won only one of their last 26 meetings with their bogey team but Brophy scored the opener in that 2-0 victory at Pittodrie in September, 2018. He harbours hopes of being included in Clarke’s Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 play-off against Israel on March 26 and eliminating Aberdeen would boost his prospects.
“I’d love to be involved but I’m just concentrating on doing well here and get back to playing at my best on a regular basis,” he said. “If I’m doing that then the international scene will take care of itself but these games are so important for the country.
“Playing for the national team is the pinnacle for any player and it;s a great incentive but that can’t happen unless I’m doing the business here.”
Interim manager Alex Dyer, who failed to win any of his first six games in charge, has welcomed the last week’s results while condemning the Aberdeen supporters who have vented their spleen at Dons boss Derek McInnes.
“The abuse is horrible,” he said. “Derek has a good record, he’s been in cup finals, they’re always in Europe and always competing at a high level so sometimes you don’t know what people want.”
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