Romance is not dead as Fergie still keen on Cup

Alex Ferguson still believes in the romance of the FA Cup — and feels his team are the hottest date of all.

Today’s third round tie at West Ham will be the 37th consecutive time United have been televised in the competition.

Not since their game with Exeter in 2005 has a Red Devils FA Cup match failed to be screened live.

And given amongst that fixture list are three meetings with Liverpool and Arsenal, two apiece with Everton, Tottenham and Manchester City, plus encounters with Newcastle, Chelsea and Leeds, Ferguson feels sufficiently emboldened to indulge in a little mischief making.

“The FA Cup is still the best domestic tournament in the world,” he said.

“The Champions League is a bigger challenge. We are playing Real Madrid and there is an FA Cup round either side of that.

“Let’s be honest, where would you prefer to be, West Ham or Real Madrid? But even though I don’t believe the semi-finals should be played at Wembley, the FA Cup still has the romance about it. You are waiting for that draw. And we are a hot ball at the moment.

“Everybody wants us in the first round. The sponsors are delighted.”

Yet for all the attraction, and United’s status as record 11 times winners, they have not actually lifted the trophy since 2004.

And as Rio Ferdinand sat out that Millennium Stadium victory over Millwall as he served an eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test, it means only Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher of Ferguson’s present squad have winners’ medals.

“Rio mentioned it in the dressing room last season,” he said.

“He has never won it. It means a lot to someone like that, who has been in the game for such a long time.”

It means this could be Ferdinand’s last chance given his United contract expires at the end of the season and there is interest in the 34-year-old from the United States and the Far East.

“We are not panicking about that,” said Ferguson. “I don’t think Rio wants to leave and, as I have said before, he can play on.’’

The FA Cup has provided Ferguson with so many special memories, not least those awful white suits Liverpool sported before the 1996 final, which they lost thanks to Eric Cantona’s late volley.

“I thought that was a 1-0 victory for us right away when I saw those suits,” said Ferguson. “I saw Roy Evans’ face. In his black suit and nice red tie, he was looking round and the bakers XI came out. I think Roy was mortified.”

Ferguson, meanwhile, has called on the Premier League to block Zeki Fryers’ move to Tottenham and launch a full investigation into his departure from Standard Liege.

Fryers came through United’s academy and made six appearances for the Old Trafford outfit. However, he refused to sign a long-term contract, allowing Tottenham to step in.

Yet the anticipated deal failed to materialise last summer as the Premier League rivals were unable to agree a compensation package.

It left Fryers free to sign for any club in Europe for no fee and he subsequently joined Belgian outfit Standard Liege on a two-year deal in August. However, it has come as no surprise to Ferguson that Fryers should now join Tottenham at the first available opportunity, and he is not happy about it.

“I am disappointed in Tottenham,” said Ferguson. “It is a blatant manipulation of the situation. They tried to buy him from us at the end of last season but we couldn’t agree terms. Then they took him on trial, came back from Portugal and said they couldn’t afford him.

“All of a sudden he signed for Standard Liege but I expected him to go to Tottenham.

“The league should look into it. They should stop the registration until they examine it. There will be a trail. Either mobile phones or something. It is obvious to me.”