Stoke and Manchester City should realise a Cup triumph lasts forever

Matt Hughes

If Stoke City succeed in staying in the Barclays Premier League, Tony Pulis will consider his strategy of fielding a weakened team in the FA Cup to be vindicated, but how will he feel in a year or ten? When Stoke and Manchester City were knocked out after making wholesale changes, the thought occurred that Pulis and Mark Hughes were not only cheating their fans and players by risking a shock defeat, but more importantly themselves.

In the unlikely event that Pulis is harbouring retrospective doubts about his team selection against Hartlepool United, he should speak to Paul Jewell, who is looking for work after leaving Derby County, where his previous record of establishing Wigan Athletic as a Premier League club and keeping Bradford City in the top flight for two years counted for little. Jewell will be back at some stage but it is unlikely to be in the top flight, while Bryan Robson may never work again as a manager despite keeping West Bromwich Albion up against all odds three years ago.

The problem of punching above your weight in the league is that it starts to be taken for granted, as Sam Allardyce discovered at Bolton Wanderers. Harry Redknapp would have been fondly remembered at Portsmouth, but is a legend for bringing them their second FA Cup, some 69 years after the first.

The lesson for all managers still in this year’s competition? The glory of even the most remarkable survival story inevitably fades after a few months, whereas an FA Cup triumph lasts for ever.

Contrary to popular belief, it was not the Champions League final defeat by Manchester United last May that convinced the Chelsea hierarchy that Avram Grant was not the man to lead their team into another season, but the FA Cup loss away to Barnsley two months earlier. As a World Cup winner earning £5 million a year with the support of his players, Luiz Felipe Scolari is in a far stronger position, but he would still be well advised to win next week’s FA Cup third-round replay against Southend United.

It must come as great consolation to Newcastle United fans that Mike Ashley, the owner, has taken the club off the market, claiming he will not sell to anyone who does not have their interests at heart, such as himself, one presumes. Under Ashley’s watch Shay Given is likely to leave for a modest fee this month, Michael Owen will probably follow him out for nothing in the summer, when Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi could do the same as their contracts expire, as does that of the manager, Joe Kinnear. God knows what would happen if Ashley sold Newcastle to somebody who didn’t care about the club.

Comments

[Tim]

When a club with few resources is already stretched to the limit without its top 3 scorers from last year, as well as 2 other strikers, it can hardly be surprising that the manager cautiously protects his squad in cup match when they are in the midst of a relegation struggle. Perhaps you think it would be fairer to do what "bigger" clubs do and go out and spend another 20-30 million (that they haven't got) on a star player and reward him with a five year contract on 80 grand a week. Sorry but Stoke haven't hot that option and instead prudently chose to rest a couple of players. Stoke's course of action seems far more prudent that of Leeds does it not?

[Rob]

Hughes made two changes from Manchester City's game at Blackburn. Hardly "wholesale", and hardly disrespecting the cup. The performance, of course, was another matter.

[Harold Gotthelf]

Since the £££ are in the Premiership, that's what the teams will ultimately choose to focus their attention on.

[Julian]

Agreed, but does Lady Luck smile on those brave managers who take the cup seriously?

Everton play a full strength side and make it through. Their reward? Liverpool away! A second derby game in a week is all very well but an easy home tie would have been nice!

[Richard]

Agreed. Stoke are ging to get relegated anyway and Hughes has almost sacked himself! The same thing annoys me about the UEFA cup, teams make a big deal of qualifying for it and then when they do play a weakened team, makes no sense!