Adamant Derek McInnes believes it won't a huge shock if St Johnstone beat Celtic to reach the Final of the Premier Sports Cup.
His former club captured the trophy for the first time in their history last year.
And manager Callum Davidson went on to add the Scottish Cup to his CV, beating Rangers in an Ibrox quarter-final.
Former Perth player and boss McInnes believes that sets them up well to handle Saturday’s Hampden clash.
He said: “When you go into a semi-final with the body of work behind them that Callum’s team have got, nobody would be hugely surprised if they get to another final.
“It will be a tough game for Celtic, no doubt about it. I do think St Johnstone have another big-game performance in them.
“All those years of success for the club as a whole, and this team in particular, gives them the right to be confident to go and win this game.”
McInnes says Davidson’s cup double winners remind him of the Celtic side that wrecked his last hope of reaching a Hampden final as a player with a 2-1 win over a Saints Championship side bossed by Owen Coyle in 2007.
McInnes said: “It was a really strong, experienced, battle-hardened Celtic and in semis you have to find a way to win and be confident in your surroundings. I think that’s what this St Johnstone team has.
“They turn up for every one of these games at Hampden.
“Everything about a big occasion is natural to them now – the media, the build-up and everything that goes with it. They’ve been very good at making sure they just concentrate on the game.”
