United's enduring love affair with the FA Cup

By JOE MORRIS

In his second Soccermongery article, Joe recounts Manchester United's love affair with the Cup. I can't entirely forgive United for shunning the world's greatest cup competition in 2000 opting instead for the World Club Pot, but the FA Cup is experiencing a renaissance and United's cup bids now reflect the tournament's grandeur.

If the FA Cup is the most romantic competition in the world, then Stanley Matthews and Ian Porterfield would have been chocolates and flowers men. Both Matthews and Porterfield were the knights in shining armour and the Cup will be eternally indebted to them.

In 1953, a couple of weeks before the Coronation, a spindly-legged wing wizard called Matthews twisted the Bolton defence in knots. He swayed. shimmied, shuffled and finally bamboozled a Bolton side who seemed to have the match under their belt. Matthews was tricky, deceitful and by the time Stanley had finished with them, Bolton were glad to see the back of him. Matthews, backed by a willing nation, won the Cup for Blackpool.

Exactly 20 years later a long-haired lad named Ian Porterfield brought the old Second Division underdogs Sunderland to an ecstatic standstill when Bob Stokoe's red and white striped army lifted the Cup. From a perfect Bobby Kerr corner, the gangling Porterfield loped up from the back, trapped the ball with the skill of an acrobat on his knee, and thumped the ball ferociously past the Leeds United keeper David Harvey.

The FA Cup has never been short of defining moments: there was Ricky Villa hip swivelling past a stunned Manchester City defence, just one of Spurs' three winning goals in the 1981 Cup Final. Poor Leeds United had no answer to a Ray Crawford inspired Colchester during the early 1970s. Ronny Radford, shirt hanging out of his shorts, slid over the mud of Edgar Street to snatch an equaliser for Hereford against a well-organised Newcastle.

Allegedly the FA Cup has lost some of its popularity but you could say much the same about ten pin bowling. The Cup will never lose its essential worldwide appeal, and three years ago produced perhaps its most spellbinding Final for years. The match had so many fascinating twists and turns that Liverpool and West Ham seemed to take the game to its loftiest level.

Throughout their illustrious history, Manchester United and the FA Cup have almost been inseparable. The Cup took on a whole emotional resonance when United were beaten by Bolton in 1958. This was the year when the delectable Busby Babes were tragically taken from us on a snowy Munich airfield.

In 1963 Matt Busby stuck the proverbial two fingers up against the world when his newly re-modelled United team ran rings around Leicester City. It took another 14 years before the cheeky and extrovert Tommy Docherty convinced Lou Macari, Sammy McIlroy, Steve Coppell and Stuart Pearson could overpower an exceptionally intelligent Liverpool side with Double-winning designs.

During the 1980s Ron Atkinson's United flounced and swaggered their way to Cup Final victories against Everton and Brighton respectively. United, it seemed, had a lease and mortgage on the FA Cup. There was Ray Wilkins, a player who brought dignity and stateliness to United's midfield, Norman Whiteside, one of the youngest players to appear in a Cup Final who had the most ravenous appetite for the game.

At the beginning of the 1990s Sir Alex Ferguson added yet more ornaments to United's well decorated trophy cabinet. United finally overwhelmed a dogged and obstinate Crystal Palace side. Half way through the decade a showman and exhibitionist called Eric Cantona took on Liverpool almost single-handedly and then scored the winning goal through a forest of Liverpool legs. Chelsea were also unravelled by United with the kind of performance that bordered on the spectacular.

In their 2-1 defeat of Spurs on Sunday, United once again stepped up to the plate with a display of craft and delicacy. touch and perception. It lacked some of United's traditional silks and satins but there was an unmistakable buzz about Old Trafford that sent a shiver down the spine.

Michael Carrick. via West Ham and Spurs, is beginning to look the most controlled midfield player in the country, Paul Scholes looked like a master of his trade and Danny Welbeck, although leggy, strolls and then strokes the ball with languid arrogance. Dimitar Berbatov could yet become one of United's most prized finishers.

Then of course there is a young Portuguese winger with matinee idol looks. Cristiano Ronaldo and the FA Cup were somehow meant for each other. Ronaldo, World Footballer of the Year is now wanted by more or less every club on Planet Earth - and with every justification.

Ronaldo went through the familiar routine against a Spurs team with too much on their mind. There were the bewildering stepovers and dragbacks that are turning into his stock in trade. At one point Spurs were being pulled in two different directions. So the bricklayers and carpenters of the non League take their leave of the FA Cup. Little Kettering of the Blue Square Premier are out of the Cup and the rest of the big boys will fight it out for a day at Wembley.

But for Manchester United the love affair with the FA Cup may never fade. Their courtship with this famous Cup will remain a passionate one. For as long perhaps as time itself and football.

Also on Soccermongery: Jonny's TV Guide to watching Football on TV... er... nil-nil, Jeff!

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Tony Adams is the ideal candidate to manage Portsmouth's decline

From Jonny's I Told You So File! I wrote this at the end of October. I don't wish ill on Adams, but he'd be advised to pipe up a bit and focus, focus!
Tony Adams doesn't have the ability to be a Premier League manager.

On paper, he has all the credentials; a giant and courageous figure as Arsenal and England skipper, he always led from the front.

But so did Bryan Robson and he's proved a less than convincing boss.

Portsmouth, forced on to the backfoot by the lightning-quick exit of Harry Redknapp have appointed his assistant, who's only previous coaching experience lies in short-term junior roles in Holland and a spell at Wycombe Wanderers which ended in relegation. His news conference was a wishy-washy attempt at standup and demonstrates he's been caught on the hop. Adams had to take the job just as Portsmouth needed to act quickly.

"My time has come" and "Welcome to Hell, I'm coming to get you, Arsene told me". Its true, Wenger and his teenage all-stars will!

Boy, did he need Joe Jordan to keep things upright! Now Jordan's set to join Redknapp at Spurs. Bad news indeed for Adams.

Luckily, Adams has inherited a very good squad - but just how committed will they be? So many of them were tempted to unfashionable Fratton Park because Redknapp was such a credible boss and achieved so much there.

One of those must be Peter Crouch, who declared he was happy with Adams' appointment as it demonstrated continuity and he knew the man's methods and style as opposed to working for a new character.

It's just the sort of complacent attitude which can unravel a small club like Portsmouth in doublequick time. Of course some players need no motivation from their manager to play well. But most do.

By all accounts, Pompey needed the £5million compensation injection that Redknapp's departure brought. How else can we explain his cloak-and-dagger overnight beeline to Tottenham? Portsmouth obviously accepted it unconditionally.

I don't like to see Portsmouth fall over especially as they've done so well in the Premier League the last few years - but if they were in better shape, they would NOT be appointing Tony Adams.

Needs must. But Premier League standards are falling. The Credit Crunch is forcing the hand of England's second and third string Premier League clubs. Portsmouth are on their way down - and Adams is the man to manage the steady decline.

Podcast Memories: Carragher's "bottler" broadcast

Watching Liverpool's Jamie Carragher appear as a Sky Sports summariser during Manchester United's 3-nil Premier League win over Chelsea was a bit of a wind-up... so I thought I'd pick this one out of the Soccermongery onion bag - the day Carra* was wound-up himself.

And oooh, didn't he take the bait with this! Have a listen to this podcast gold. From nowhere, Carragher phoned up talkSPORT Radio to respond to presenter Adrian Durham's allegations that he was a bottler.

*for maximum listening pleasure, say Carra in a Liverpudlian accent during download. Go on, try it.... Jarreh, Jarreh (note the J as in the Spanish, Javier). No wonder Rafa enjoys speaking English. His ajj-cent is well-equipped to deal with the rigours and contours of Stanley Parj banter, no?

This was an example of pressure getting to players where reputation is questioned all the time. But ultimately, aren't football matches won on the field of play ... not in the mind?

Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

Also on-site: Has Rafa delivered another Luv It, Luv It moment? plus video: Steve McClaren attracts a mystery Dutch accent!

Has Rafa delivered an "I Would Luv It, Luv It" moment?

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has launched an astonishing attack on Sir Alex Ferguson, by claiming he's above punishment from the game's governing bodies. The Spaniard says Ferguson is the only manager who is not be reprimanded for outspoken attacks on referees and officials

"We had a Respect campaign meeting and I said forget it, because Mr Ferguson is killing the referees," said Benitez.

He was responding to Ferguson's midweek comment that nerves might ruin Liverpool's title bid, before issuing his tirade against the United boss. Fergie's reply was issued after his team's crushing victory over Chelsea the following Sunday. Some would say Fergie's team did all the talking - but he still branded Rafa angry and distressed.

Rafa's extraordinary outburst came after a journalist asked him for his response to Fergie's suggesting that Premier League leaders Liverpool might get nervous in the run-in.

"I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they (Manchester United) are nervous because we are at the top of the table," added Benitez.

The Spaniard then pulled out a sheet of paper and read out a list of accusations about Fergie's conduct regarding referees, the FA's Respect campaign and fixture lists. "I want to talk about facts," said Benitez. "I want to be clear, I do not want to play mind games too early, although they seem to want to start.

"During the Respect campaign - and this is a fact - Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett.

"He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things.

"How can you talk about the Respect campaign and yet criticise the referee every single week?
"We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man-to-man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking.

"All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees - and nothing happens.

"We need to know that I am talking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week.

"To complain and to always have an advantage is not fair."

Benitez also heavily criticised Ferguson's complaints over supposed favouritism over fixtures. "Two years ago we had a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything," said the Reds boss.

"Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United. But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the teams at the top of the table, it is a fantastic advantage.

"If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field, there are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures.

"One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know.

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple."

It's crafty and timely from Rafa, coming as it does before United's six-pointer at home to Chelsea. It was calculated and pre-meditated as opposed to Super Kev's spectacular loss of cool in 1996.

But whatever happens between these two - and whatever charges are brought (or not) against Rafa, this title race will be won on the field of play. Fergie might be allowed a little chuckle to himself about this.

Also on Soccermongery: January Transfer Window Comment and Podcast Laugh: Jose Mourinho sings the Blues plus Video: Steve McClaren's mystery Dutch accent interview!

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