Dundee are regular foes for Airdrie, says skipper as he eyes cup games
Adam Frizzell joked that he's played against Dundee 'four times' in his time at the Diamonds
Playing against Dundee is almost a regular occurrence for Airdrie, but skipper Adam Frizzell is looking forward to their Premier Sports Cup group stages in July.
Airdrie came through their group stages last season with wins over East Kilbride, Dumbarton and Queen of the South, while losing at Aberdeen, and came up against a strong Dundee side in the quarter-finals, receiving a 6-1 hiding.
Airdrie have met the Taysiders in the League Cup and Scottish Cup in recent seasons, and kick off their campaign at Dens Park on July 12, with Frizzell joking about how often that has happened.
But Airdrie also have games at home to Bonnyrigg Rose on July 15, at Montrose seven days later, and end with a visit from Alloa on July 26.
Frizzell reckons it's a good way to monitor summer progress.
'Dundee again is something,' said Frizzell. 'I think I've played against them four times since I've been at Airdrie, and we've not been in the same division, which is mad.
'I love that cup format, so I look forward to that group, and it's something we've done well in, over the last couple of years.
'We'll be looking to make the last-16 again.
'It's very difficult to get through the group, actually, when you look at the teams that miss out. You need to win a minimum of three games out of four.
'When you're playing a Premiership team in one of those games it's very difficult, but we've done well in the past, and I love that competition, so it will be one I'm looking forward to.'
Frizzell added: 'It's a good way to gauge your progress, and it's better than playing in the pre-season games, in my opinion. I don't think you get much from them, other than a base fitness, and you want to get right into the competitive stuff.
'I used to hate the long-winded pre-season, when you've got six or eight games – when you feel you're fit, you're ready to go there and then.
'That's why I really enjoy that format, you're right into the competitive stuff, and it gives you a good gauge of where you're at, playing against different teams.
'We had a couple of games at the tail-end of last season. We played Ayr United in the last league game, we were in no-man's land, so were they, they were waiting on the play-offs at the right side of the table.
'It was getting players up to speed again, boys getting minutes, and that's the way you feel in pre-season.
'But with these cup games it gives you a real idea of where your starting XI is at, and it's competitive games, which is what you want to play in.'
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Levy turned to Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, after being snubbed by Arne Slot who had decided to stay at Feyenoord for one more season ahead of his switch to Liverpool. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Postecoglou even described himself as 'the last man standing' in the race to succeed Antonio Conte. But the Athens-born Aussie, who had never previously managed in Europe's top five major leagues before, got off to a stunning start by taking 26 points from his first 30 available. That was despite the club selling their record goal-scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich on the eve of the season. After an unbeaten first ten Prem games, Spurs were five points clear at the top of the table and anything seemed possible under Postecoglou. Fans took to singing a version of Robbie Williams' Angels regularly after matches, with the key lyrics altered to 'I'm loving Big Ange instead'. 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