We should be talking about the glamour of the FA Cup here. The romance, the glory. Oldham upsetting Bolton, Derby shocking Fulham.
Instead, we must talk about that distinctly unromantic character Craig Bellamy and his inglorious spat with Newcastle boss Graeme Souness.
One thing we can say about the FA Cup at this point: If Bellamy plays against Coventry for the Toon on Saturday, we’ll have a real shock!
After Sunday’s 1-0 defeat against back-to-form Arsenal, hard man Souness decided to centre his post-match comments on the conduct of his Welsh international striker, Bellamy. Souey initially claimed Bellamy was injured but it turned out he didn’t play because he wouldn’t operate in a wide role against the champions.
Souness, struggling to put things back on track at St James’s Park in the middle of a bleak winter, said: ”Bellamy has let me down, he’s let his fellow players down and worst of all, he’s let the fans down.”
Bellamy, sitting miserably on the bench all game, hit back by calling his boss ”a liar” on live television. Oops.
That kind of talk did what it always does: sparked lurid headlines in all the tabloids and hours of coverage on the sports bulletins.
By Wednesday, both Souness and his chairperson, Freddy Shepherd, were calling Bellamy ”a fool” and offering him for sale at a cut-price £5-million. Though some papers suggested Liverpool were interested — Bellamy has been a lifelong Reds fan — the truth is, only lowly Stoke City had bothered to make an actual approach for the talented but temperamental Bellamy.
The most interesting tale of all? Claims that Bellamy told Newcastle’s new January signings, Rangers France international centre half Jean Alain Boumsong and Chelsea fullback Celestine Babayaro, that they had come to ”a shit club with a shit manager”.
Bellamy insisted on Tuesday: ”I’ve done nothing wrong,” but he added: ”I won’t apologise but I know I’m not wanted. There’s no doubt about it, I am out of here.”
Shepherd responded: ”It’s difficult to sell damaged goods. Nobody is kicking my door down for Bellamy. The fax machine is quiet. Stoke are the only club interested right now.
”This is about a player thinking he’s bigger than the club. He has been a fool.”
Souness said: ”By saying he was injured before the game, I was protecting him. He’s a fool if he can’t see that.”
Ouch. It’s not the kind of thing a great club like Newcastle need right now.
And a footnote? Both Boumsong and Babayaro are out injured already. Strange that. The FA Cup is Newcastle’s only hope of glory this season. Defeat against Coventry might just bring a very early curtain down on Souness’s Newcastle career, with Birmingham’s Steve Bruce, a Geordie, always fancied for the role.
It won’t happen, will it?
Here’s how the FA Cup fourth-round ties will turn out — possibly!
Arsenal v Wolverhampton
This is a cracker. Glenn Hoddle is trying to turn things around at fallen giants Wolves and of course, every Arsenal fan knows Hodd is a evil Spurs man at heart. Kolo Toure has been charged for elbowing Alan Shearer in last week’s 1-0 win over Newcastle. That aside, the Gunners looked pretty good … and only Shay Given prevented a landslide at Highbury.
Verdict: Arsenal 3, Wolves 0
Blackburn v Colchester
Robbie Savage’s long-awaited debut for Blackburn ended in a yellow card and controversial defeat against Bolton. This is the kind of scenario made for the long-haired signing from Birmingham. He’ll intimidate little Colchester, who are barely staying clear of the relegation zone in League One. Mind you, they did stuff Walsall 5-0 on Tuesday night!
Verdict: Blackburn 2, Colchester 1
Brentford v Hartlepool
I love Brentford’s boss, Martin ”Mad Dog” Allan, a man who knows no limit when it comes to motivating his players. But Hartlepool, who bounced back from the Conference a few years ago, are two points ahead of them in the Division One promotion race. It’ll be tight.
Verdict: Brentford 1, Hartlepool 1, Hartlepool will win the replay.
Burnley v Bournemouth
Fresh from their shock third-round 1-0 win over a very ordinary Liverpool, Burnley have to be favourites here at the marsh they call Turf Moor, though they lost 2-0 at Cardiff in the Championship last week. Bournemouth, having a reasonable time in Division One, won’t be a pushover like Liverpool though!
Verdict: Burnley 1, Bournemouth 0
Charlton v Yeovil
An FA Cup classic, this. Yeovil, who made their names in the 1970s and 1980s as a non-League giant killer, now find themselves top of League Two, four points clear under former Latvia boss Gary Johnstone, who may well manage a bigger club one day. Worryingly Charlton are flying high in the Premiership, pushing for Europe after their 1-0 win at Everton over the weekend.
Verdict: Charlton 2, Yeovil 0
Derby v Fulham
Derby boss George Burley knows his stuff, he’s got the Rams pushing for promotion to the Premiership and the 2-1 win at West Ham will have boosted morale. Fulham are recovering in the Premiership and Andy Cole, the former Manchester United and Newcastle striker, knows where the goal is. This could be another Premiership scalp for the Championship.
Verdict: Derby 2, Fulham 1
Everton v Sunderland
The Everton bubble has really burst now Tomas Gravesen has gone to Real Madrid. They’re slip-sliding down the Premiership … next thing you know they’ll be beneath Rafa Benitez and Liverpool! Sunderland, third in the Championship after the 1-0 win over Sheffield United, know this one is tailor-made for an upset.
Verdict: Everton 1, Sunderland 1 but Sunderland will win the replay at home.
Man United v Middlesbrough
Steve McClaren learned a lot as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford. We’ll find out just how much this week. He’s got the firepower in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and United, though they’ve pushed right back in to the top three of the Premiership in recent weeks, are still without Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Verdict: United 1, Boro 0
Newcastle v Coventry
Forget the great Bellamy fiasco, let’s look at the facts. Newcastle are 12th in the Premiership and Souness is struggling to hold it all together. Coventry, under new boss Micky Adams, are just trying to stay alive in the Championship. Another cracker, but sadly at St James’s Park, I can’t see a Sky Blue heaven.
Verdict: Newcastle 3, Coventry 2
Nottingham Forest v Peterborough
Forest look doomed in the Championship despite the departure of Joe Kinnear, Peterborough are in a similar position in League One. You can never write off Posh boss Barry Fry, though.
Verdict: Forest 0, Peterborough 1
Reading v Leicester
Reading are fourth in the Championship, Leicester are 14th. That should be enough evidence of the way this one will go. Be interesting to see if Leicester boss Craig Levein can keep Arsenal keeper Stuart Taylor on loan. And will we witness one last FA Cup hurrah from the ageless but soon-to-retire Sir Les Ferdinand?
Verdict: Reading 2, Leicester 1
Southampton v Portsmouth
Game of the round in many ways. Harry Redknapp, fresh from that shock victory over Liverpool in the Premiership ‒ his first since the controversial departure from arch-rivals Portsmouth ‒ will have special security for this one. There is no love lost between these two coastal clubs, based at either end of the Isle of Wight. Pompey are nine points better off than the Saints in the Premiership but I just like the look of that beanpole Peter Crouch, who can’t stop scoring for Redknapp.
Verdict: Southampton 1, Portsmouth 1. Could be Pompey on a replay.
West Brom v Tottenham
A week ago I would have laughed at the idea of West Brom reaching round five. But they saw off Manchester City 2-0 over the weekend while Spurs ended their fine run with a hapless 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace. Martin Jol has worked wonders at White Hart Lane but they looked like they couldn’t care less last week. I hope he understands just how important this game is for the club.
Verdict: West Brom 2, Spurs 2, with Spurs to win it at home.
West Ham v Sheffield United
Alan Pardew is under huge pressure at Upton Park. West Ham fans expected an immediate charge back to the Premiership but it just isn’t happening. Sheffield United have become something of a Cup specialist side under fiery boss Neil Warnock and are fifth in the Championship to the Hammers ninth. Tough one to call.
Verdict: West Ham 1, Sheffield United 0
Chelsea v Birmingham
They might be out of trouble in the Premiership, but Steve Bruce’s Birmingham are nowhere near the side I expected them to be this season. With Robbie Savage gone leaving serious scarring on morale, I just can’t see them getting anywhere near the runaway Premiership leaders. Who can stop Chelsea? Not Birmingham.
Verdict: Chelsea 4, Birmingham 1
Oldham v Bolton
Perfect tie this, the Lancashire neighbours go to war with Oldham, shock winners over nearby Manchester City in round three, ready to do it again. Bolton were magnificent in their 1-0 win over Arsenal a fortnight ago and they’re back up to ninth thanks to El Hadji Diouf’s dive against Blackburn. Sam Allarydyce might think his side are back in form after that awful festive run of six defeats, but Oldham are bossed by Brian Talbot, who learnt a bit about this competition for Ipswich and Arsenal in the 1980s.
Verdict: Oldham 2, Bolton 0