Respecting the underdog

The underdog should never be discounted.  It doesn’t matter in any form of life what that could be. 

It could be someone who defeats all the odds to achieve a massive win on the bookies, get an important University assignment in on time against all adversity, or overcoming many hurdles thrown at you to achieve the goal you set out to achieve in life.

Oldham's players celebrate after their historic victory

The message is crystal clear.  Never underestimate the underdog or you could feel the force of it.  And in the world of football as an example, it has to go down as ‘Underdog Weekend.’

Not since 1994 has there been a weekend like it in the FA Cup.  Five Premier League sides have been dumped out of the greatest cup competition in the world by lower league outfits, ranging from play-off contenders in the Championship to non-league footballers – who probably earn a tenth of what the likes of Lionel Messi and John Terry earn in a week.

Supporting the underdog…unless it is your team

Footballers are generally overpaid; there is no getting way around it.  It means some people struggle to respect the game in general, and that is understandable.  In such economic hardship, the sport seems to defy all with more inflated transfer fees, and crazy wages being belted out to players – some who simply have no brains to play the game.

So it is these kinds of weekends that makes the neutral fall in love with football and by supporting the underdog, it makes you feel a lot better.  That is of course unless your team is on the wrong end of a classic cup upset.

I felt that this afternoon.  Sitting down to watch Oldham Athletic v Liverpool on ITV today, I wanted my side to be tested, but to avoid the banana skin upset.  From the moment Oldham took the lead in the second minute, a shock was on.

This is a side in League One in the bottom seven, attracting gates of no more than 10,000 – in a stadium which is classic but certainly outdated.  Yet they put the likes of Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and co to the sword.  Liverpool are seventh in the Premier League but over 90 minutes, anything can happen and it usually does.

Oldham thoroughly deserved their 3-2 victory and advanced into the fifth round.  I’m hurting, because deep down, I knew this was a competition Liverpool could have realistically won, and the effort from some players today (I won’t mention names) was absolutely abysmal.

However take nothing away from unfancied Oldham.  They had a gameplan, rattled the Premier League giants and scored at crucial moments of the game to keep themselves in the ascendancy.  I wish them all the best and they deserve all the credit.

Outwitted and outfought

It wasn’t just Oldham who were upsetting the formbook.  Mighty Tottenham Hotspur – fourth place in the Premier League couldn’t cope with the intimidating atmosphere of Elland Road, Leeds.  The inconsistent Championship side outfought and outwitted their better opponents to win 2-1. 

While Liverpool’s demise to smaller opposition will take most of tomorrow morning’s headlines, Spurs should be ashamed of themselves.  Their team couldn’t be bothered; they underestimated Leeds and paid the price. 

Reigning European champions Chelsea were very fortunate to leave Griffin Park with a replay, after drawing 2-2 with Brentford.  Their performance was again one where they seemed to think they could coast through with something to spare.  

Well if these players in these clubs do not want to give 100 per cent effort for the crest on their shirt, then they know where the door is.  There are plenty of other people who’d love to do the ‘job’ these so-called Premier League megastars do.

Sometimes, the game of football annoys me massively.  Talking about ball boys, diving and the power of infidelity is not what it is all about, it is these moments that bring a smile to the face of many up and down the land.

Vast differences

As a prime example, take Bradford City from League Two.  Their starting 11 for Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final at Aston Villa was a value total of just £10,000.  Compare that with a Manchester City squad and a total valuation of over £500million.

The differences are vast, and we all want to find magnificent stories that we can treasure forever.  Bradford’s remarkable journey to the final of the League Cup is one that should never be forgotten.

Villa faced up to that humiliation with another shock defeat on Friday night, going down 2-1 at Millwall which started this dramatic weekend.

Premier League no-hopers QPR were caught napping by Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday, trailing 4-0 at one point before losing 4-2 at home.  The Dons have made the last 16 for the first time, and Harry Redknapp’s response afterwards said it all.

He said: “It was disgusting!”

And perhaps the story of the weekend was Luton Town’s amazing victory at Premier League Norwich City.

Scott Rendell scored the only goal as the non-league side won 1-0 at Carrow Road.  They became the first side from the non-league to knock out top-flight opposition since Sutton United from the GM Vauxhall Conference beat Coventry City from Division One 2-1 in 1989.

Upsets aplenty

I will leave you now with highlights of some of the biggest giant-killing upsets in FA Cup history.  Supporters of big teams should look away now.

Congratulations to Oldham Athletic, Luton Town, Bradford City, Milton Keynes Dons, Brentford, Millwall and Leeds United on their incredible results in the last seven days.

You have proven that the romance in cup competitions is very much still alive. 

Football….some game.  Never underestimate the power of the underdog!

Categories: 1994, Brentford, Championship, FA Cup, Lionel Messi, Liverpool, Oldham Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Underdog, Wages