Between Buaben signing up at Tannadice three years ago and Levein leaving for Scotland last Christmas, the pair had a rollercoaster relationship.

Now, though, the former Ajax kid realises his old boss always acted with his best interests at heart.

“Sometimes, things between myself and the gaffer were not always good and when I was out of the team last season I was not happy,” he said.

“I did not want to leave, but I did want to go away for a while and then maybe come back and see if I could start again.

“I went to him and asked him if I could go on loan, but he said no way. He told me to get my head down and work hard to get my place in the team back. That’s not what I wanted and my agent also felt I should go somewhere else.

“That had things going through my head, but Craig Levein is a very good manager because he knows what’s the best thing to do.

“He says what he thinks and he does it — now I know he was right and my agent was wrong and, because I did what he said, I have had a good season.

“I’ve been happy with how it’s gone and I have a lot to think him for, especially if we can win the cup final.”

Having arguably been the Tangerines most consistent midfielder this term and with just a season of his contract left, Buaben is a likely target for bigger clubs south of the border this summer.

His plan for next term, however, is to be battling with United for another high finish in the SPL and in Europe.

“Now I’m settled again and I like it here. The boys are great and we have a good team, so what I want is to be here doing well.”

And as a self-confessed bad loser, his only thoughts on the cup final are how to win it.

“I would feel terrible if we did not win, but that is the way I am any time we lose. I love football, but only if we are winning because that is everything.

“We lost in a cup final two years ago when we played Rangers and, this time, I want to be on the winning side.”

“It is not about who we are playing. Ross County can make it hard for us, but whoever we were against my aim would be to win — and it is on Saturday.”

If he gets the medal he’s so desperate for, Buaben might even break his own teetotal rule.

“It is not that I never drink alcohol and sometimes, when my family are here, I will have a glass of something. As a footballer I do not see it does me any good, so usually I do not drink.

“If we win the cup, though, I might drink some Champagne out of the cup. I don’t want to win so I can be drunk — I want to do it so I have the right medal.”