Redknapp: City put romance back in the cup

Apr 13 2008 by Phil Blanche, Wales On Sunday

HARRY REDKNAPP’S love affair with the FA Cup began as a youngster when he used to re-enact the final in the streets around his London home.

So, while much of football laments the absence of a ‘Big Four’ member from the FA Cup final for the first time since 1991, Redknapp reckons Cardiff City and Portsmouth have put the romance back in the famous old competition.

The two clubs meet at Wembley on May 17 and Pompey boss Redknapp is revelling in the spotlight with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United having all fallen by the wayside.

Speaking exclusively to Wales on Sunday, Redknapp insisted:

n The critics are wrong to belittle a Cardiff City v Portsmouth cup final;

n his belief that the finalists have put the romance back in the old competition;

n just why the ‘Big Four’ will be so envious over missing a big day out at Wembley.

It’s easy to see why Redknapp is such a popular figure in the football world, the archetypal wheeler-dealer is as likely to know as much about players from East Africa as his native East End. It is the modern way but, listening to Redknapp over a cup of coffee at Portsmouth’s training ground, the traditions of the FA Cup lie at the heart of this proud footballing man.

“When I was growing up, there wasn’t football on the television every day and the FA Cup final was the game of the year,” he said. “In those days the whole country used to come to a standstill to watch it.

“I watched the game on an old housing estate in east London on a nine-inch black and white television.

“We had a magnifying glass strapped over the top of the screen to make it 12 inches!

“My dad, who died last year, was a football nut. We had half the estate in the house watching the FA Cup final.

“After the game we use to pile out onto the streets and go over all the moves and goals. We’d pretend we were the two teams in the final, the kids came from everywhere.

“We played until we couldn’t find any light to play under or our mums called us in for tea.

“That was what the FA Cup final meant to me – it’s always been a special day.”

Redknapp has been a manager for more than 25 years, but has never made it to the final – until now.

Having beaten Manchester United in the quarter-final en-route to Wembley, he says he will enjoy every minute of the day.

But, he admits, in an age when Premier and Champions League football is king, that he has been concerned about what has happened to the FA Cup competition.

“When I see it devalued like a couple of years ago when teams suddenly didn’t want to get involved, like Manchester United did, it’s very disappointing,” he said.

“As far as I’m concerned I’ve always had a go at the FA Cup wherever I have been.

“I’ve never been at a club where we weren’t interested in winning the FA Cup. We start the season in two cup competitions where we have a chance of winning – the FA Cup and the Carling Cup – and we go for it.

“We’re not going to win the Premier League at Portsmouth, so we need to have a go at the cup competitions.

“That is difficult considering that the top six teams have won the FA Cup in the last 12 years, so in all honesty that’s how good it is.”

Looking back at Pompey’s famous win at Old Trafford, Redknapp said: “United put their strongest side out to beat us. We rode our luck, but we won 1-0 and knocked them out.

“If you’re a Manchester United supporter and at the final every other year what does it really mean to them? To Portsmouth and Cardiff City fans this match means everything.

“This is a great opportunity for two great clubs to enjoy the cup.

“If people want to knock this cup final let them, but if they want the big four year-in year-out, then let’s just play a semi-final with them in and be done with it.

“I saw the faces of the West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth, Barnsley and Cardiff City supporters at Wembley and it’s something special.

“My players, like the Cardiff players, know that they will never have a better chance to win the FA Cup than on May 17.

“But we know we will have to be at our best, that is for sure.”

Redknapp is looking forward to locking horns with City counterpart Dave Jones, the pair having met many times in the past on their travels.

“Dave is a terrific manager with a track record at Stockport, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers – and now Cardiff City,” he said.

“I’m glad Dave has turned it around. He’s a top manager and proved it with limited resources.

“The Championship is a tough place to play football but we know what it is all about from the FA Cup this season.

“We had a rough ride with Ipswich, a battle with Plymouth at home and had David James to thank at Preston for a penalty save to keep us in the game.

“We’ve had some real pressure and we don’t expect anything less from Cardiff City.”

Win or lose, though, Redknapp wants everybody to enjoy the historic occasion.

“One of the biggest changes I’d love to see on May 17 is that both sets of fans stay behind after the final whistle – whoever wins or loses.

“I think it’s terrible that the losers pile out after the final whistle.

“In the old finals fans would wait for both teams to do their lap of honour and for the winning team to collect the cup.

“I’d love to see that kind of thing again, instead of the fans of the losing side piling out straight after the game. This is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so people should enjoy it.”

You can bet that Redknapp will.

Redknapp's views on... - page 2