Planet Swans ArchivesSpeaking on their official web-site, ‘Boro’ manager Graham Westley stated I’m not going to get wound up by Brian Flynn’s dismissive attitude towards us. That’s up to him. And he may well be right to say what he has. I think League clubs do underestimate sides in our league”
I don’t recall Flynn dissing the challenge that Stevenage would provide the club at the weekend merely stating that we have a chance to progress. And we do, as does every other side in FA Cup action this weekend.
That aside though there is a refreshing difference with some of the comments made by Westley. Not necessarily on the game but you can feel his passion in his words. The following statement I guess could be a little eccentric “”We’re travelling away to face the challenge of League opposition. England travelled away to face the World Champions. Clive Woodward spoke today of how he saw England’s football draw against France as being positive and I feel the same way about our situation. Their home record is good; the Vetch is renowned as atough place; but Cambridge won there. Football is not predictable. And we do not know fear.” but at the same time how nice is it to be compared to the ex-World champions of rugby union – or something like that I think he is saying 😉 (is that the seagulls following the trawler?)
This comment though you could imagine being a pre-match team talk “It doesn’t matter where we play. It doesn’t matter who we face. We will havevery strong players on the pitch next Saturday who will be concentrating on being stronger than their opponent on the day. They will fight forevery ball as if their life depends upon it. Really. Because games like this can make lives better. They can help players to progress; they can help clubs to progress. The stakes are very high; the third round is a massive prize. For us more so than Swansea.” You can imagine that firing their players up. Can’t you.
I do disagree with some of the things that Westerly does though. Selling the tradition of the FA Cup last season was something he was accused of and it’s probably right. Farnborough against Arsenal had a great ring about it but the game was switched to Highbury. With it the chance of live television coverage and the chance to put a little place on the map. Of course Farnborough were well beaten (they were always likely to be) but maybe the cup lost a little of it’s magic on the day.
Stevenage are an example of this – remember Newcastle being held to a draw at their place a few years back. People remember that and will do for a long time. Would they have remembered the same if the original game had been switched and they had lost the first game on a Saturday instead of the Live Sky Sunday cameras? Doubtful I guess?
Maybe this is Arsene Wenger style ‘mind games’ on us with his comments but I suspect that our players have been around too long to dismiss a side. Especially a side that recorded a victory over us just last season. We are a vastly changed side from then but according to their web-site so are they.
Talk of 1200 Stevenage fans making the trip seems vastly exaggerated as the site refers to them starting to fill Bus 5 – the last one that they will fill and the away support appears to be likely to be around 500 at the most.
Stevenage though have splashed out on some red socks to ensure that they can play in their home kit. It was believed that they would be playing in their change strip of Blue and Black but the spending spree means they can feel at home!
Can you sense that Cup magic building?
