By Derek Adams Ross County manager

The preparations are all done and I know my team to take on Dundee United.

We've come to the end of two long weeks on the training ground. Now it's just a case of getting on with the job.

Friday began with an interview on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme just after 8am.

Then it was down to the club for training. But instead of our usual warm-up we decided to do something a bit different.

We took the players on a light jog through the centre of Dingwall.

The reason for that was to let them see how much the cup final means to everyone in the town.

Local businesses have gone to a lot of effort and we saw a lot of cup final-themed window displays.

There were people in the streets wishing us well and congratulating us.

I think it made the squad feel really good, and they deserve all the praise they get because it's a magnificent achievement.

After training we had some lunch, I did more TV interviews, I put the finishing touches to my game plans, and we left for Glasgow.

A pipe band played as we drove down the High Street in our coach and we stopped by Dingwall Academy, where all the pupils were allowed out of class to wave us off.

After three hours on the road we arrived at our hotel around and had our evening meal, before the players retired to their rooms.

Everyone is really looking forward to kick-off now.

We'll have our breakfast and a walk in the morning to stretch the legs and then we'll leave for the stadium at 12:15.

To win the Scottish Cup would be a magnificent event for Ross County and for just about the whole of the Highlands.

We are the underdogs but we go to Hampden relaxed, confident and fearing no one.

Another busy day, but that's how it's going to be until after the game.

In the morning I had a meeting with my backroom staff - coaches, physio and doctor - to discuss our plans for training and see how the players' fitness was.

Thankfully we have no injury problems and everyone's ready to head to our team hotel near Glasgow on Friday afternoon.

Local journalists normally call me on Thursday mornings and then it was out onto the training ground.

Although we're close to the big day we're not winding down the intensity at training.

After the day off, we had a regular session of a warm-up, sharpness work, crossing and finishing, and a game.

I spoke to Michael Gardyne in front of the whole squad to wind him up over his comments about my jokes in his newspaper cup diary.

"Gaffer, gaffer, I didn't say you weren't funny," was his response.

The players are having fun with these things, although those that don't have any diary columns are taking issue with one or two, let's say, 'extravagant' suggestions that have been made.

It was all in jest, but maybe their column pieces will be toned down for the rest of the week...

We also had the Futbol Mondial TV programme at the club filming. It's dubbed in to all sorts of languages and beamed all over the world.

One of my jobs is to keep the players calm and relaxed ahead of what will probably be the biggest game of their lives

That just shows the level of interest in our cup run. It's great that we've been able to have that effect.

In the afternoon I had to deliver some bad news to seven of our youth players who we are releasing.

It's tough to tell players I can't take them on for next season but it's part of the job of a football manager and we have to do what's best for club as a whole.

It's very difficult for these young boys to get into the first team squad - especially given how well the team has done this season.

At County we have three teams - under-19s, reserves and first team - and it's not easy for clubs to run youth systems because of the financial costs.

Over the years the club has run at a loss but this cup run will help. It also means a few of the directors won't have to put so much of their own money into the club.

As I mentioned, we're going to spend the night before the game in a hotel nearer Hampden so I had to draw up the room lists and arrange the pre-match meal - which will be a good mix of carbohydrates and protein to fuel their bodies.

The players will share twin rooms and I choose who rooms with whom.

As well as making sure different personalities fit together I also sometimes like to pair players together who are likely to be linking up in a positional sense on the park.

It's just to make sure they're communicating well before they take to the pitch.

One of my jobs is to keep the players calm and relaxed ahead of what will probably be the biggest game of their lives.

That means making sure things like their training routine isn't upset or changed too much from normal, and employing psychology as well - which is a big part of football management.

I'm sure even players of Celtic and Rangers get nervous before cup finals.

But my players have nothing to lose really.

We've had a great run to get here and there will me more pressure on Dundee United as the SPL team expected to win.

After work I had time to meet up with an old team-mate, Kenny Gilbert, for a coffee in Inverness.

He's been working abroad for an oil company so it was good to catch up with him after not seeing him for a while.

Then it was back home to put the feet up and pack my case as we're leaving for Glasgow straight after training.

As you know I'm not one of these managers who avoids reading what's written in the press.

And just as well; a couple of my players are also doing cup final diaries this week in different newspapers - and naturally I've been keeping a close eye on them.

One of them, Michael Gardyne, commented that I should give up telling jokes in the dressing room as they don't exactly bring the house down.

Well, I'll be having a wee word with Mr Gardyne at training on Thursday. I have a feeling he may not be laughing then either. I still haven't picked my cup final team, Michael...

My main engagement of the day was at Hampden where it was the managers' media conference.

About 40 members of the written and broadcast media were there to speak to myself and Dundee United manager Peter Houston.

We have 17,000 supporters going to Hampden and shirts, flags and scarves have been flying out the door

It was quite straightforward, then I had to get photos taken alongside Peter.

Although we didn't have a long chat, we did wish each other "all the best".

In the afternoon, I went for some lunch with my mum Moira and my younger sister Leigh-Anne at a nice wee Italian place in Bothwell.

It's the last time I'll be able to see them before the game - they'll be at Hampden. In fact, they make the trip to every game we play, home or away - even midweek games.

A manager's work is never done, though, and after some soup and a coffee I had to make some more calls to make sure everything is being organised properly for the big day.

One of them was of the utmost importance - whether to order thistles or roses to pin to our suits on Saturday.

If you look closely you'll notice I opted for the thistles.

I also checked up on how things were going at the club shop. It's been doing a roaring trade this week.

The workers there, like Ranald Gilbert, Grant and Sandy Wallace and Ray Ross have been rushed off their feet.

Shirts, flags and scarves have been flying out the door and that's all great news for a club like ours.

And then there's the ticket sales. We have 17,000 supporters going to Hampden.

I know a few are making the long trips, especially from Australia and America, but I have no idea where the rest are coming from as there are only about 5,000 people in Dingwall.

As I mentioned it's back to the training ground on Thursday, but on my return to Inverness I stopped to watch my pal Danny Lennon's Cowdenbeath team in their play-off match against Brechin.

I did my Uefa pro licence alongside Danny, so I was rooting for his team. In the end it was 0-0. So there's still all to play for on Sunday and I wish him well.

And, of course, it was handy to have a look at the teams, as we'll come up against the winners in the First Division next season.

Yesterday it really started to hit home that the big day is nearly upon us.

It started off as usual - in work by eight, a fairly light training session, and then some lunch just after midday.

But after lunch we had a squad photo session, first in our commemorative cup final kits with embroidery to mark the occasion.

Then we changed into our cup final suits for some more pictures. They look really smart and the players are quite chuffed with them.

It was also the first of many media days this week. I wasn't involved today, but our coach Craig Brewster was the centre of attention as he was the goal hero when Dundee United won the cup 1-0 against Rangers in 1994.

Brew's been at Tannadice as a player and a manager so it must be a bit difficult for him as he's out to put one over his old club this time out. But at the same time it's great he's able to be involved again in Scottish football's season finale with another club.

The whole cup run has been fantastic for the whole club, really. We're looking forward to the final so much. I haven't even sensed any nerves around the place.

The players are buoyant - even despite not making it to Spain for our training camp - and they're looking forward to going back to Hampden.

Although we have played well all season and beat Hibs over two games, the last time we were at the National Stadium we beat Celtic in the semi-final and that eclipsed everything.

I spoke to the players yesterday morning and told them they should enjoy the week and just take it all in.

It'll be the biggest game that I'll have been involved in, and at 34-years-old to become the youngest manager to take a team to the final will be a great honour for me too.

Our league season finished a couple of weekends ago now and it's been good we have had that break as we had a packed ending to the campaign.

United have had two games since then and we have had some good preparation time. In the afternoon I had to do some TV work for the cup final DVD the club is releasing.

TV presenter Rob MacLean is helping to put it together. It's good to have a local lad from up the road in Invergordon on board - and as a boy he was a Staggies fan too.

So with all that out the way it was back home to the family to put my feet up in front of the telly and have a read of the papers.

I know some managers don't like to pay any attention to what's written in the press, but I think it's good to keep an eye on what's there whether it be positive or negative.

Yesterday it really started to hit home that the big day is nearly upon us.

It started off as usual - in work by eight, a fairly light training session, and then some lunch just after midday.

But after lunch we had a squad photo session, first in our commemorative cup final kits with embroidery to mark the occasion.

Then we changed into our cup final suits for some more pictures. They look really smart and the players are quite chuffed with them.

It was also the first of many media days this week. I wasn't involved today, but our coach Craig Brewster was the centre of attention as he was the goal hero when Dundee United won the cup 1-0 against Rangers in 1994.

It'll be the biggest game that I'll have been involved in, and at 34-years-old to become the youngest manager to take a team to the final will be a great honour for me too

Brew's been at Tannadice as a player and a manager so it must be a bit difficult for him as he's out to put one over his old club this time out. But at the same time it's great he's able to be involved again in Scottish football's season finale with another club.

The whole cup run has been fantastic for the whole club, really. We're looking forward to the final so much. I haven't even sensed any nerves around the place.

The players are buoyant - even despite not making it to Spain for our training camp - and they're looking forward to going back to Hampden.

Although we have played well all season and beat Hibs over two games, the last time we were at the National Stadium we beat Celtic in the semi-final and that eclipsed everything.

I spoke to the players yesterday morning and told them they should enjoy the week and just take it all in.

It'll be the biggest game that I'll have been involved in, and at 34-years-old to become the youngest manager to take a team to the final will be a great honour for me too.

Our league season finished a couple of weekends ago now and it's been good we have had that break as we had a packed ending to the campaign.

United have had two games since then and we have had some good preparation time. In the afternoon I had to do some TV work for the cup final DVD the club is releasing.

TV presenter Rob MacLean is helping to put it together. It's good to have a local lad from up the road in Invergordon on board - and as a boy he was a Staggies fan too.

So with all that out the way it was back home to the family to put my feet up in front of the telly and have a read of the papers.

I know some managers don't like to pay any attention to what's written in the press, but I think it's good to keep an eye on what's there whether it be positive or negative.

Derek Adams was speaking to BBC Scotland's David McDaid and will be contributing throughout the week.

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