FLYNN IT TO WIN IT
Clued-up Michael’s ready
MICHAEL FLYNN is eyeing an FA Cup giant-killing – so he can say sorry to Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino again.
Newport boss Flynn has already apologised to Pochettino for the leaking of his secret dossier compiled on the Londoners.
In the detailed document for tonight’s fourth-round replay, the Welsh club highlight weaknesses in Pochettino’s stars that they tried to exploit in last month’s 1-1 draw between the teams.
The League Two side used their scouting report to good effect before Harry Kane saved his side’s blushes to set up the moneyspinning clash at Wembley.
Flynn said: “I’ve dealt with the leak of the so-called secret dossier manager to manager.
“It’s something we do on every team, we did it on Lincoln and Colchester in our last two league matches.
“It’s a report that is done week in, week out by our scouts and it is a good tool. It gives you a lot of information but it’s what you do with it that is important.
Malice
“It got leaked and there is nothing I can do about it. Things have a habit of coming out and it happens in football – it’s the way it is, nothing is private these days, but there was no malice in it.
“I apologised to Mauricio for it getting out. It was helpful in preparing for the first game against Spurs because we needed all the help we could get – and we’ve had other reports done from their games against Liverpool and Manchester United.
“Mauricio and I exchanged numbers before the game in Newport. He shook my hand and gave me his details, which shows the class of him.
“We’ve exchanged a couple of messages back and forth since then and there is no issue here – he has bigger things to worry about.”
Despite successive league defeats for the first time this season following the draw with Spurs, Flynn says his players are ready.
He joked: “If we win I’m retiring! With all the finances, the way that modern football is and the amount of money the big boys can spend on players, this would be the biggest result in the club’s history.
“On a selfish level, I would probably take promotion over an FA Cup upset.
“It would be an unbelievable achievement, going from the last kick of the game last season and nearly being relegated out of the Football League, to the following season getting promoted.”
Despite this being one of the biggest game in the Welsh club’s history, midfielder Sean Rigg, 29, has quit to follow his dream of becoming a tattoo artist.
Flynn said: “Sean made his decision a while back. He fell out of love with the game and is thinking about the future.”