The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Darragh won’t see world’s best team!
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony is thrilled the club’s loyal fans can enjoy a visit from the world’s best football team, but he won’t be attending the fifth round FA Cup tie against Manchester City at the Weston Homes Stadium.
MacAnthony is winding down after a ‘crazy’ January spent dealing with wantaway Posh players as well as rebuilding a squad capable of winning a battle against relegation from the Championship.
MacAnthony will be on holiday when Posh tackle City which is an indicator of where his priorities lie for the rest of the season even though it’s the club’s first fifth round FA Cup tie of his reign at London Road, one that started in October, 2006,
“Last weekend went perfectly for us,” MacAnthony stated. “We needed the feelgood factor back at the club and reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup and getting the draw we did is exciting.
“It’s great to reward the fans, particularly the older ones who have always been supportive of me and the manager no matter what happens.
“It’s the magic of the cup and it’s just great to have that winning feeling back at the club again.
“I’m delighted we have such a massive match and I’m pleased that my partners will be at the game to watch us take on the number one football team in the world as they deserve it, but I’m not even going. I’ve booked a holiday in Dubai with my wife and I need that holiday. It’s the most important holiday of my life.
“I was burnt out by the transfer window. I’ve never known one like it and I never want to experience another one like it again.
“I was on the phone constantly on transfer deadline day and I flew home the next day.
“It was good to see us dig in so well against QPR in the FA Cup at the weekend.
“It wasn’t the prettiest of games and I’m sure some fans didn’t enjoy us sitting in, but we were playing the team who were third in the Championship and we showed the fight we need to show for the rest of the season.
“I was delighted by that win and by the draw for the manager who has taken some flak lately. But I’m parking the FA Cup tie now as it’s league matches all the way for me and the players should take confidence from their weekend performance.
“I’ve been saying all season that Kwame Poku (pictured) and Joel Randall would come on strong in the secondhalf of the season.
“Despite selling (Siriki) Dembele we are stronger up top now. Poku might not score the spectacular goal Dembele was capable of, but he gives us more going the other way. We planned for the departure of Dembele in the way we want to play.
“Ricky-Jade Jones is not yet great technically, but he terrorised QPR’s defence with his pace. He has speed and great finishing ability which are two things that can take you far.
“We believe we had a good transfer window.”
MacAnthony also revealed a couple of ‘exciting’ non-football related announcements will be made soon by new chief executive officer David Paton and club co-owners Dr Jason Neale and Stewart ‘Randy’ Thompson.
PoshbossDarrenFerguson was also thrilled with an FA Cup draw that pits him against one of the greatest coaches in the world, Pep Guardiola.
But he’s described the tie as ‘our least important game of the season’.
Ferguson, who turned 50 on Wednesday, said: “We’ve addressed the draw with the players.
“It is a fantastic draw for the club and the supporters against the best team in the country, but it’s the least important game we have left this season.
“It will be an even better day if we’ve picked up the points we need from the February Championship matches before we play them.”