Fulham boss Scott Parker has had to educate his players on the history of the FA Cup ahead of their fourth-round clash with holders Manchester City.
Parker is preparing his side for a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and is someone who remembers when the competition was the most cherished in the game.
Parker said: “Does it mean as much to players now? It’s a different generation but I’m from a generation that was brought up around it.
“It’s my job to bring that across to the players and send that message. It’s like when you’re bringing up your kids and trying to educate them on history. It’s for us to go out there and respect it.
“When I was a child, I remember waking up on cup final morning and watching the build-up, whether it was the teams coming out of the hotels or the helicopter following the coaches.”
“Maybe I would think along those lines if I was in four competitions and had the Champions League to worry about,” he added.
“Coming out of the Christmas period, when the games have been relentless, every team, right down to League One – their squads have been decimated.
“It’s a consequence of the amount of football we’ve had to play in December, really. I can see why that’s the view. But I’m a massive defender of the FA Cup.
“I do feel over the last two years it’s coming back to where it should be. It’s been diluted by changing kick-off times and things.
“But for me personally, the upsets, the away games in tiny makeshift stadiums, that’s what’s so magical. I think we have to keep driving that, not diluting it.”
“We have a few injuries and we’re down to the bones in that sense. We have a considerable amount of injuries so we’ll field a team of fit players,” he said.
“We haven’t got much room to change too much around. It’s a big game for us, a different challenge to what we’re used to, and we’re looking forward to it.”
