The Evolving Significance of the FA Cup
The FA Cup remains the premier cup competition globally, and its third round continues to hold a special place in the football calendar. However, from a manager's perspective, the competition has grown increasingly complex over the years.
The Premier League now takes precedence over the fixture schedule, which has unfortunately led to a diminished significance of the FA Cup, especially when a club's top-flight status and financial stability are at stake.
In today's football landscape, financial considerations dominate discussions, and the Premier League undoubtedly leads these conversations.
With the addition of three European league competitions, the number of matches and teams involved has further relegated the FA Cup in terms of priority.
As the number of games increases, something has to give, and it often ends up being the FA Cup. As a manager, I understand this shift, even though I grew up during the 1960s and 1970s when the FA Cup was universally cherished. This year will be no exception.
Following a busy festive period and another round of midweek fixtures, Premier League teams will view this weekend's matches as an opportunity to rest some, if not all, of their players.
While it is disheartening to witness this trend, it may also create opportunities for smaller clubs to join the ranks of giantkillers for which the competition is renowned.
I have experienced both sides of this issue. When Stoke was promoted to the Premier League in 2008, we initially struggled. During a third-round tie against League One side Hartlepool, I decided to change nearly the entire team.
The squad needed a rest, and I believed that those who had been sidelined would have a point to prove. However, we lost 2-0, and I faced criticism from the press for my decisions.
Despite the backlash, I felt justified in my choices. My primary goal was to ensure our Premier League survival, which was crucial for our long-term future, and fortunately, we achieved that.
Was that cup match and my team selection critical to our survival? I cannot say for certain, but as a leader, tough decisions must be made, and only time will tell if they were the right ones.
It always amuses me when pundits analyze a situation retrospectively. If I could select my team after each match, I believe I could get a few decisions right as well.
How a Cup Run Comes Together
As a manager, I believe that if you lead a team outside the top six, you cannot genuinely 'target' a cup run. They occur when circumstances align, as they did for us at Stoke when we reached the FA Cup final in 2011.
Success requires good fortune on the pitch, favorable draws, and a capable squad ready to advance deep into the tournament. I always felt that Stoke would need about three years in the Premier League for such a run to materialize, and I was not far off.
Having been a manager for 20 years by then, that cup run remains one of my fondest memories—defeating Cardiff over two legs, a challenging away match at Wolves, a home victory against Brighton, and then beating West Ham and Bolton before facing Manchester City. Each match had its unique story.
In the third round, Cardiff performed well at our ground, but we managed to secure a more comfortable away victory. Wolves away was always going to be tough, but Thomas Sorensen saved a penalty, and Robert Huth scored our winner.
Our 3-0 win against Brighton in the fifth round appeared straightforward, but Gus Poyet's team put up a solid fight. Next, we faced West Ham, who had recently defeated us 3-0 in the league, making that week particularly challenging for the players, but we triumphed 2-1.
This victory led us to Wembley, where we faced Bolton in the semi-finals. My captain, Ryan Shawcross, approached me about whether the players would receive suits, reminding him that this was not the final and they still had one more match to win.
No Stoke fan will forget that day. Bolton arrived in suits and flowers, which set the tone for my team talk. After an incredible performance resulting in a 5-0 win, I jokingly mentioned that those suits must have been worth it!
The final against City did not conclude as we had hoped, but the players put forth a fantastic effort. They were a remarkable group, albeit falling short against a team that would dominate the Premier League for the next decade.
One final note on that period: it frustrates me to see players acting out when benched. It still bothers me to this day. During that memorable cup run, while Sorensen was my goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic was undoubtedly my first choice and started our league matches.
Leading up to the final, there were rumors about me switching Sorensen for Begovic, which I never did. Moreover, Asmir never once came to me questioning Thomas's selection for the matches I mentioned earlier. His support for Thomas throughout the tournament exemplified the team's spirit, which is essential for any team aspiring to reach Wembley this year.
History Still Counts - The FA Cup Provides Moments That Matter
The FA Cup was considered special during my youth and my playing days. Most managers I played for would alter our routine during cup weeks, but it didn't involve resting the first team.
At Bristol Rovers, for example, we would have brine baths and walks on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, with the saying that you couldn't buy that sea air in bottles!
My best cup run was with Rovers in 1978 when we reached the fifth round as a club from what is now the Championship, drawing Ipswich, who had finished third in the top flight the previous season.
They had an excellent team and a brilliant manager in Sir Bobby Robson. At home, on a rock-hard icy pitch at Eastville, we pushed them to the limit and nearly won. Bobby Gould scored a late goal that was disallowed for offside but was later proven to be onside.
Ipswich proved too strong for us in the replay and went on to win the FA Cup. That was the closest I came to winning it as a player, yet I often think about Gould's goal and how it could have altered history.
I maintain that the FA Cup is the greatest cup competition in the world and undoubtedly the most famous.
It has birthed countless legends over the years, and one does not need to have lifted the trophy to become one of them.
Take Colin Addison, for instance. I have been invited to speak at his memorial service this spring. Colin played over 400 league games and managed many more, but his defining moment came as player-manager of non-league Hereford United when they defeated top-flight Newcastle in the FA Cup third round in 1972.