Gunter so proud of City FA Cup final appearance

Apr 30 2008 by Mark Bloom, South Wales Echo

CHRIS Gunter says he will be the happiest man at Wembley on May 17 to see best mate Aaron Ramsey and close friend Joe Ledley take centre stage in the FA Cup final.

Had he not made a £2m Christmas switch to Tottenham Hotspur, Gunter would probably have been lining up against Portsmouth himself next month.

But the Spurs defender will still be at Wembley to support prize asset Ramsey and his former Bluebirds colleagues for the second time in a month.

“I went to the semi,” grinned Gunter. “It was fantastic. My best friend Rambo is doing really well there and for Joe to score as well... I am just really pleased for them.

“All the staff, the players and the fans deserve it because Cardiff City can be a huge club if they do things the right way.

“Hopefully, I will get a chance to go to the final and City go on to win it.”

With four first-team outings already under his belt and a regular in Spurs’ matchday squads, Gunter is continuing his mission to develop as a player from the household names around him.

“If you look at the bigger picture, making the move in January has definitely been of benefit to me,” Gunter said.

“It is the first time I have been away from home, but I have had time to settle here now.

“So when pre-season comes round there will be no surprises. It will give me a great opportunity to show the manager what I can do.

“I knew when I joined the club that there was a high standard of player here but you don’t realise or appreciate how good they are until you see them close up.

“I have been fortunate that since the first day I joined I have been involved in training with these guys.

“I have been in near enough every matchday squad and have travelled to a lot of places.

“I’ve got a feel of the way Tottenham do it. In the future that will benefit me, it is all part of my learning because, as an 18-year-old, the most important thing is to feel you are improving.”

While first-team minutes have been limited, Gunter has retained his game-sharpness with six outings for Clive Allen’s reserve side.

Gunter’s appearances have coincided with Spurs’ best run of the season, defeating the likes of Aston Villa and enjoying a five-game unbeaten run only brought to an end by Chelsea.

“We have a big squad and if you are not playing every Saturday it is great to get match practice with the reserves,” said Gunter. “It is great to be up against players with a wealth of Premier League experience.

“Only recently I was playing against Armand Traore who a few days earlier had started for Arsenal in a huge Premier League game against Liverpool.

“I knew when I came to the club that I would be sacrificing more regular first-team football in the short term, but if you look at the facilities and the coaching staff I feel I have been improving everyday.

“I am pleased with the games I have played and that is down to the coaching I am receiving.”

Bluebirds boss Dave Jones recently suggested Gunter had gone backwards following his failure to break into the Spurs first-team.

But the Newport-born full-back believes he is keeping the right company in his bid to flourish at English football’s top table.

“There is no point mentioning the quality of names at this club because there are so many world-class players,” he said.

“And training under a top-class coach will hold me in good stead for the future. It has certainly lived up to everything I could have imagined.

“The boss gives you confidence to go out and play and he loves the team to attack.

“When I came on at Old Trafford it was 1-1 in the FA Cup against Manchester United with 30 minutes to go, he told me to go on there and create things.

“He simplifies everything in training and the ideas he has brought in have been brilliant. The whole coaching staff have really been a massive help.

“I spoke to John Toshack when I signed and he told me it was a fantastic move and he was really pleased.

“I was first choice for the international in February and he sat me down and told me that at 18 it is not the worse thing in the world not to be playing in the firstteam.

“The important thing is to learn from the players around you. I think he knows the manager from his time in Spain and he was very supportive and, hopefully, I’ve got a bright future for both Tottenham and Wales.”

mark.bloom@mediawales.co.uk