A cup fever has always
been special, especially when little teams reach far due of strong
guts and bravery. Yesterday was the most historical climax at Wembley
when never-a-fouth-tire-team-reached-the-final side Bradford were
paired with the Premier League fun package Swansea. Also to them is
has been amazing – both teams in fact – had never reached a final
of a major cup ever before. And it was Bradford's pride that was the
genuine winner.
First of all I would
like to state that it's a disgrace that the FA tried to charge
Bradford City a sickening £2000 to 'permit them' to display a
tribute banner in order to remember the 56 people who died on the
11th of May 1985 during the Valley Parade Fire disaster.
Seriously: how much did they charge to stage a minute silence for the
Munich Air Disaster earlier this month? And why didn't the FA stage a
minute silence this time for the other victims who died? This is
highly controversial. Please STOP your 'respect campaign' now, dear
FA. As I'm asking you to go back to the roots of sportsmanship.
The game itself went
down the pan quite fast. Some brave faces of the northerners
definitely got overwhelmed with the impact of the biggest game ever
of their lives. It was however in the second half when the bitter
taste stated to kick in at the score of 3-0 to Swansea when referee
Not-A-Friend awarded a penalty and sent off the Bradford goalie. It
was a foul, yes, but at that score with a team being outclassed, it
was pathetic to show a red card. No dignity. That incident then got
overshadowed by Canadian-born Dutch front man De Guzman, who refused
to let Nathan Dyer to take it in order to secure being the first
player in the cup history to score a hat-trick in the final. De
Guzman using head-taller and bigger body in order to claim the spot
kick, it reminded me of his behaviour back in the days he was still
playing for Feyenoord – as he went through the youth ranks of the
Dutch club. He has always been trouble – his arrogance doesn't
reflect his talent.
I also point an angry
finger towards Swans manager Laudrup, who should had stood up at the
sideline but did not. Not only that, after the penalty all Dyer's
team mates were non-stop passing the ball to him in order to 'make it
up' for De Guzman's behaviour and to let him claim the big honour in
history. But what did Laudrup do? Substitute him! So he let his bully
remain on the pitch, giving him a double joy. To later claim that 'it
was all his fault' because 'he forgot to appoint a number one to take
the penalties' doesn't swallow well.
The score went to 4-0,
but it were the Bradford fans who took over Wembley completely. It
was actually a humiliation towards the Welsh as the Bantams fans sang
their longs out and all of them were waving their special day flags
in the air. It took about five minutes before one or two Swansea fans
joined in with their flags, but the fact remains that to me there was
only one winner. They have beaten Wigan and Arsenal, not just that,
they outclassed Aston Villa in the semi finals. Yes, their
end-of-season highlights DVD will be the one I shall purchase.
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