Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen will be all too familiar with the concept of Sisu.
It is a Finnish word that can’t be literally translated into English but a reasonable definition would be perseverance, determination and strength in the face of extreme adversity.
Sisu is not merely temporary courage but the ability to sustain that courage even when all looks lost.
It was most famously used to describe the remarkable military feat of Finland’s vastly-outnumbered armed forces when they fought off an invasion from the Soviet Union in 1939 and remains central to how Finns view themselves and their nation today.
Football is not, contrary to the words of Bill Shankly, a matter of life and death but if United’s Finnish boss could invoke one thing among his players at Hampden it should be a little bit of Sisu.
To say the Tangerines are in the doldrums would, of course, be an understatement.
Discontentment and even anger is rife among supporters who can hardly believe the state their relegation-threatened club finds itself in.
However, a place in the Scottish Cup final is a highly-attractive prize for victory over Hibs in today’s semi-final.
These opportunities come along all too rarely for teams and fans alike.
That should be remembered by United as they walk out at the national stadium today.
A golden opportunity should not be thrown away because the weight of their league woes is bearing down on them.
They need to treat this match as a separate entity take it one game at a time, if you like.
There can be no self-pity among the players and no heads going down if they lose a goal.
This challenge requires more than that.
It needs some Sisu.