FA CUP WIGAN v SO’TON SAINT PETER
Peacemaker Reid an unlikely light at the end of the tunnel Cook wary of a vital Spark to lift Saints Redmond gets Hughes vote to spur grand survival plan
PETER REID has been described as many things but the unlikeliest – even by his own admission – is peacemaker.
When it all kicked off in the tunnel during Wigan’s FA Cup fifth-round tie with Manchester City, ugly scenes were developing as Pep Guardiola raged at the dismissal of Fabian Delph for a reckless challenge on the stroke of half-time.
The ranting Spaniard clashed with Latics boss Paul Cook but, sensing trouble, Reid – managerial consultant to Cook – raced into the tunnel from the directors’ box and defused the explosive situation by ushering his fellow Scouser away.
Former City and Sunderland manager Reid was always a fiery opponent whether on the pitch or in the dug-out.
So he chuckles at the notion that, at 61, he has finally mellowed. Reid laughs: “I was an aggressive, fiery manager in my younger days and that might have been me in days gone by.
“Look, I can kick off with the best – but maybe ‘ mellowed’ is a good description for me now.
“In our last cup tie it got a bit heated and Pep wasn’t happy with the red card for Delph. But he wanted protection for players from certain tackles, so that’s what happened.
Upset
“I’ve lost count of the number of times it’s kicked off in the tunnel.
“But what I will say is that after it was done it was all forgotten and it was the same with Pep and City.
“They were upset with the referee’s decision and it spilled over (inset, right). End of story.”
It’s 8am at Wigan’s training ground and Reid is having breakfast in the canteen, looking as trim as the day he hung up his boots.
As we are chatting, Arsene Wenger pops up on Sky Sports News and Reid is off again: “There’s Arsene Wenger on the TV. I’ve had it off with him in the tunnel a few times too. He’s the ‘Professor’ but don’t be fooled.
“Arsene can give it out in the tunnel like anyone can, but then you shake hands and it’s all forgotten.”
Reid is making a valuable contribution to Wigan’s push for promotion back to the Championship as a shoulder to lean on and sounding board for ambitious boss Cook.
He said: “Paul’s his own man as every manager has to be. He’s got a good staff around him with his coaches Leam Richardson and Anthony Barry and a good medical team in Andrew Proctor and Nick Meace.
“I’m there to offer my experience, a different pair of eyes and generally help out any way I can.
“It’s been a good season, hopefully it will get a whole lot better.”
Today it is all about the FA Cup quarter-finals – and no one in the Wigan camp has bigger or better experience than Reid after playing in three successive finals with Everton in 1984, ’85 and ’86 – winning one and losing two against Manchester United and Liverpool.
Famous
Victory over relegationthreatened Southampton will catapult Wigan back to Wembley, the scene of their most famous achievement when they beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final.
Says Reid: “We rode our luck against City but I don’t think many people would say we didn’t deserve to win.
“We’ll need the same e fighting spirit and desire against Southampton uthampton because Mark Hughes hes will want to make an immediate ediate impact in his first game. me.
“And there would be no better way to do that t than reaching an FA Cup p semi-final at Wembley. But we’ve shown this season we can mix it – even against the big teams.” NEW Southampton manager Mark Hughes is backing Nathan Redmond to keep them in the Premier League.
The ex-Stoke boss was appointed in midweek after Mauricio Pellegrino was given the axe following the 3-0 defeat at Newcastle last weekend.
Hughes has been given the daunting task of saving the Saints from playing Championship football next season and – feels winger Redmond is the man to save them. He said: “It is about understanding where players feel the problems lie.
“I need to know why certain players have struggled at points in the season and as a consequence of that, I will get the information to hopefully enable them to perform better.
“Nathan has been very positive and I have had a good conversation with him already, so I have got a little bit of insight into him.
“He is a creative player WIGAN boss Paul Cook doesn’t deny he was enjoying Southampton’s turmoil ahead of today’s FA Cup quarter-final.
Struggling in the Premier League, short of confidence and then the sacking of manager Mauricio Pellegrino – Wigan’s preparations for another giantkilling after knocking out Manchester City, West Ham and Bournemouth couldn’t have been going any better.
Then the Saints appointed ‘Sparky Hughes’ – a move which BARRY HORNE is backing the Welsh Tafia to rescue his old club Southampton from the drop. Former midfielder Horne said: “Mark has got his usual suspects alongside him – the Welsh Tafia of Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki. The short-term ambition of course is to keep them in the Premier League which I’m certain will happen. “ has left Cook gutted and fearing for Wigan’s chances of making the semi-finals at Wembley.
Cook said: “From a personal point of view, we’re really disappointed because of the lift Mark will give the club.
“That’s not being disrespectful to the previous manager, but maybe for Mauricio Pellegrino, Premier League status would have been the most important thing.
“Now, Mark might well come in and think they can do both.
“Mark’s outstanding record as a player and a manager is there for all to see. When Southampton made the change, a lot of people’s choice of appointment would have been Mark Hughes.” and we clearly need to score goals.
“We need to create chances and he is going to be a part of that so we need him functioning and playing at the best of his abilities.
“It is up to us to bring the best out of him.” Hughes, meanwhile, believes today’s FA Cup clash at Wigan will give his players the chance to forget about Premier League survival.
He said: “It’s an opportunity for us.
“It is all about getting a positive result and a positive reaction which is what we are after.
“There isn’t that anxiety about retaining Premier League status. It is a one-off game which we need to win – and want to win.”