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BORO'S DOUBLE ASSAULT ON EUROPE 15-3-07
Tom Warnock
So cup fever gripped Teesside last weekend, and in front of a national television audience we were so nearly rewarded at the first time of asking, but that would be too easy for the Boro. We all know its never that straightforward with our team.
As I sit typing this article with the Mark Viduka song harmoniously playing in the background, I often have daydreams about doing the impossible and winning the FA Cup. It was almost a dreamy atmosphere on Saturday - everything was going to plan, the (nearly) full house was there, the comeback was there, the local goalscorer equalised and the captain nodded us ahead.
It was too good to be true, and it looked ever more likely as time ticked over that United just weren't going to score, and yet none of us dared take it for granted for fear of what might happen. And it went and happened and many hearts sank and heads in the crowd dropped. It was a bitter blow and it did take the wind from our sails to some extent.
The players will be disappointed, George was visibly distraught, and its good to see the players giving so much and to see genuine disappointment after not winning a match. It was so gut wrenching that many would believe we have nothing to play for. Wrong. We have everything to play for and what better place to banish away day doubts? There's nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that everything would be the biggest achievement this club has ever seen.
Let's face it, if we went to Wembley by beating Championship teams 1-0 at the first time of asking, it just wouldn't be the same would it? So let's do it the hard way, the satisfying way, the way that says we can beat any team in Europe on our day.
Gareth may have a job on his hands to raise the spirits of the players this week, but when we do step out onto the Old Trafford pitch, there's no doubt every player will be brimming with confidence and ready to give it their best shot.
On Saturday, we face the other half of Manchester, blue not only in shirt colour but in mood. This is a team in turmoil and we need to take advantage of it. We need to play with the confidence of a team who just had Manchester United fighting for their lives and if we beat City then it will give us an incentive to carry on fighting because a UEFA Cup place is not yet out of reach.
There's much debate that our season rests on the Old Trafford replay but this is ridiculous. Why not get to Europe via playing in the FA Cup final, and do it through the league as well? Why not make it the most successful season in our history by finishing sixth and winning the FA Cup. What I'm saying is why dismiss the City game just because we have United on Monday?
True professionals want to win every game and fight on every front and while I expect Gareth to play a cautious team on Saturday to keep vital players fit, I still expect the team to deliver a performance and a victory for those fans in attendance. We want to finish as high up the league as possible as even if we do get to the FA Cup final it doesn't excuse a bottom half finish.
Manchester United have disappointed Boro fans with their ludicrous ticket pricing. They may have a more affluent economy and a bigger fan base, but it doesn't give them the right to rip off honest fans. It's a shame the term 'replay' doesn't apply to repeat ticket prices.
That being said, I know that the Boro lads will still buy out all our tickets, and will out sing the prawn-sandwich brigade ten fold, and do their bit to rally the lads to the impossible victory. Come On Boro!
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