On the 50th anniversary of our famous Fa Cup victory in '73 Tony Mowbray answered several questions regarding that magic day and in classic Mowbray fashion he went on an interesting tangent about him wanting his players to enjoy watching football, unlike some stars in the Premier League like Ben White.
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF 73
“I met a few of the team over this last week so it’s some good characters, good people, football guys, I think for us we’re just preparing as best we can for the game and I think we have to, the next game like we have been every game really trying and control the game if we can, be aggressive play the way we play, I think we haven’t overstudied Preston I think I don’t want to turn it into a cup final scenario let’s go and play the next game and do what we do really so yeah we looking forward to it, it’s been a long week, 9 day building isn't it really so let’s get the weekend out the way, it's good that there's football on in the Premier League we can all sit and keep watching and keep seeing what's happening in the word of football but yeah roll on Monday I think.”
73@50
“I had a dinner this week at the stadium in the boardroom with the lads and their partners and it was really enjoyable, theres some real good characters there, 50 years gosh, this is a long time, I remember sitting there watching the game, I’ve told you it was one of my first proper memories really, I think the World Cup in 1970, Fa Cup in 1970 Leeds Chelsea was a big one but 1973 was probably the next massive memory of football for me as a young nine year old kid and cup final day on them days was a proper family event with the curtains drawn and the buffet done and all my dads mates in the pub and it was a proper guys do really and I think it was one of the top days, no football on telly really in them days as well to get live games was fantastic and to see Ian Portetfield score the winner but to see Monty’s amazing double save and all them things its an iconic moment in the history so the club rightly should celebrate it for them players it’s still fantastic, I’m sure they’re still revered around the city and for me we’re just trying to make the supporters happy with the current team, this young, hopefully exciting team we have to make our own mark somewhere along the line so if we could get a positive result and a positive outcome and find our way battling through the playoffs and create our own iconic moment in history hopefully.”
NOT GIVING THEM HISTORY LESSONS
“I don't sit them around the table and give them history lessons but I'd like to talk football, constantly telling them have you seen my goal at Wembley 2000! Header back stick, go and get it up on Youtube. No listen I can do all that stuff I was talking about Giles and Bremner and the players who played against Sunderland in 73, I was telling yesterday, get it up and watch he didn't know who Billy Bremner was, they said ‘oh I’ve heard’, this is lads who were 18/19 year old and didn’t know who Billy Bremner was and yet the name rang a bell and I was like ‘oh c'mon get on your phone when you finish training and go and put Billy Bremnner in’ and I was telling him to watch I think it was the 7-0 against Southampton with all the little back heels and taking the mickey weren't they on the pitch, go and have a look on see what you think.”
FOOTBALLERS TO LIKE FOOTBALL
“It’s interesting, I like footballers to like football I like to come in and say ‘did you see the game last night what do you think, City struggles first half what about Haalands run for the first goal what do you think?’ I want them to love football really, I think the more you love it the more you get wrapped up in it. The more you want to be you have a pathway where you want to get to that level, they should all want to play against Man City with Haaland playing upfront and telling their grandkids in 20 years time, ‘get the footage of when we were at Sunderland we won 3-0 at Man City and Haaland was upfront and I scored that one where I stuck it through his legs and put it in the top corner’ why wouldn't you want to do that? I don't tell the young French kids to go watch the cup final of 73 no because as I’ve said you're dealing with young people it's quite interesting really if they don’t show an interest in football I don't want to bang it into them, they either love it or they don't love it some footballer have got amazing talent, speed, or amazing power or passing technique but they don't really watch footy, my preference would be that they all love it and they’re all students of the game, they all want to get better they all have idols that they want to replicate but reality is they're not, they don't really and you have to accept that and don't bash them with a big stick because they don't love the game but they have to perform to get in your team and help the team win football matches.”
