Sunderland is a quality draw, but a non-league club was my ideal clash
I’M really looking forward to our big cup game against Sunderland... although I don’t go along with the idea this is the best draw we could have got. From a fans’ point of view it might be, but this player is thinking we couldn’t have picked a tougher game!
I wouldn’t have said no to a non-league side at home and an easier passage into the second and hopefully third rounds, but I don’t want to sound like an old misery here because this Sunderland game is one to relish.
Yes it’s going to be difficult. They are flying high in League One, are on a great run and have some very good players - their former Everton and Celtic winger Aiden Mcgeady to name just one.
You would expect that for a club of their size and, I assume budget, but this is a one-off game, we are on a good run ourselves and we go into it with confidence that we can get something from it.
There should be a good atmosphere with Sunderland bringing plenty of supporters and a good turn out of our own fans too.
From a personal point of view, I’ve been a bit unlucky in the FA Cup. I’ve played for Crewe at Anfield in the League Cup, but not been involved in any really glamorous FA Cup ties over the 13 years or so I’ve been playing.
The fact this one is on TV makes it a bit different in the build up with all the attention, but to be honest once you kick-off you don’t really think about that because it is all about focusing on the game.
Generally if there is an exceptional atmosphere you notice, but usually it doesn’t matter whether you are playing in front of 3,000 or 6,000 because you are just concentrating on where the ball is and what you are doing.
We have been doing pretty well lately, our five-game unbeaten run speaks volumes for how hard we have worked to get things right defensively after what happened in the Lincoln game.
We had to settle for a point in that 2-2 draw at home to Notts County last week, but we can take encouragement from our overall performance.
We didn’t play particularly well in winning 1-0 at Oldham and at home to Bury during our recent run, but we defended well and when we do that I always think we are capable of nicking a goal.
Notts County was a completely different game. We could have scored five or six, but got caught twice at the other end which hasn’t been happening to us.
We dominated the game and felt we should have won it, but if you look at the game we managed to win against Bury the week before then it has probably evened itself out.
The reserves have been back in action since the Notts County game, and the fans who turned out for the home game with Wigan on Tuesday saw us win 4-1.
I’m sorry I missed what sounds like a goal of the season con- tender from Louis Dodds who smashed one into the top corner from long range.
Luke Hannant told me what a good goal it was and that shows again what Doddsy can do.
He is one of those players that can score one from 30 yards or unlock a defence with a pass, but to get the best out of him you need to get him on the ball.
■ A BREAKAWAY European Super League is one of the more ridiculous ideas I have heard for a while.
I wouldn’t be interested in
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watching it because what’s the point of a competition where most of the clubs are invited, rather than having to qualify, and can’t be relegated.
It’s about money which is why they would want the very biggest clubs in Europe, those with the biggest fanbases which would mean the most subscribers for the TV games.
But while I understand that Manchester United, for example, have supporters all around the world, you would have to be rich to be able to follow them away every other week in a European Super League.
The idea might appeal more to the supporters of clubs outside the top six in the Premier League. If the big six were to leave to join a European League, then the other 14 might have more of a chance of winning something.
Yes I know Leicester won the Premier League only a couple of years ago, but the big clubs have strengthened so much since then that it’s impossible for that to happen again.
But having put so much money into the Premier League, I don’t see Sky wanting it broken up.
Besides, I see FIFA have said any players taking part in a breakaway league wouldn’t be allowed to play for their countries in international football.
The Champions League already provides European competition and runs alongside the Premier League.
It seems to have worked pretty well for the last 60 odd years in finding the kings of Europe so I don’t see any reason to change... apart from money.