Fulham
captain Andy Melville has three big reasons for wanting to beat Tottenham
in the fourth round of the Worthington Cup today and continue all the way
to the final.
The competition is possibly newly-promoted Fulham's best chance this
season of securing the silverware - and the place in Europe - craved by
glory-hungry club owner Mohammed Fayed.
Melville would also love nothing better than to hand the trophy to Chris
Coleman, the man he succeeded as captain, who is bravely trying to recover
from horrific leg injuries which threatened to bring his career to an
end after he was cut from the wreckage of his crashed car.
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Fulham Captain Andy Melville |
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Last but not least, with the final being played at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff, Melville and the rest of Fulham's Welsh contingent want to go
back to the land of their fathers for the final. While many footballers
consider the final has lost some of its gloss since it left Wembley, Melville
said: "It would be brilliant to get there.
"It's a brilliant stadium with a great atmosphere, and there are
a few Welsh lads at the club. If you ask people who have played there
they all tell you how really good the atmosphere is."
Melville, as to be expected, is cautious and the first to warn: "We
have a lot of hard games before we think about getting there."
A Tottenham team currently enjoying something of a revival provide a
stiff test in the fourth round.
Two years ago Fulham, then in the First Division, knocked Spurs out of
the competition, beating them 3-1 but, despite their new Premiership status,
Melville expects progress to be harder this time.
"We played really well and were on top of our game. We know it's
going to be difficult this time because they are on top of their game.
Nobody is going in as favourites," he said.
The veteran Tottenham strike-force of Les Ferdinand and Teddy Sheringham
could be a cause for concern and Melville acknowledged: "They are
a handful. They are both quality players, who have performed at the highest
level and if they are on top of their form it will be a real challenge."
With no replays, and a penalty shoot-out if necessary, home advantage
could be crucial to Fulham, and the captain said: "Having the fans
behind us will be a help."
Melville, a naturally reserved man on and off the pitch, has settled
into the captaincy well, despite having a totally different approach to
that of the larger-than-life Coleman.
"I hadn't really spoken to the press until this year, but it's not
been a problem. Everyone is different but I've enjoyed it, and we will
see how it goes until the end of the season," he said.
He accepts - and hopes - that he is only doing the job until Coleman,
another member of the Welsh contingent, wins his battle for fitness.
"He is progressing well and the medical staff are very pleased with
him," said Melville.
"He's in early every morning and is probably doing more training
than anyone at the moment. He is around the dressing room more and more
which helps the lads.
"He is a big character and the fact he is back is good for him and
the rest of the squad. If we were to get to the final, Chris would be
there as part of the squad and that would be great."
And right alongside him would be Mohamed Fayed. "The chairman is ambitious.
We have his full backing, and he's shown that with the money he has spent."