United are showing disdain for the Carling Cup final... and I hope Villa humiliate them at Wembley

By David McDonnell

Published 10:17 25/02/10

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I hope Aston Villa beat Manchester United in Sunday's Carling Cup Final at Wembley. In fact, I hope Martin O'Neill's vibrant young side humiliate Sir Alex Ferguson and his players with an emphatic win.

Not because I have any allegiance to Villa, nor am I a fully paid-up member of the ABU (Anyone But United) fellowship.

No, the reason I want Villa  to win is because their actions in the build-up to this weekend's final have shown they want it more than United.

The Carling Cup, in its various sponsored guises down the years, has always been the least important competition for United, who have treated it - as have many of the Premier League's big clubs - as an extension of the reserve or youth team leagues.

It's a chance for Fergie to gauge the progress of emerging and fringe players, and see how they cope with the step-up to the first team and all the mental challenges that poses to a young player.

But this week, Fergie and United showed their disdain for the Carling Cup by refusing to put any players up for interview for the world's media.

While Villa threw open their doors to newspapers, radio and television stations, providing interview access to, by all accounts, at least five first-team players, all United could manage was the usual weekly 15 minute briefing with their curmudgeon boss.

I know, I know, I can hear the cries now. This is just a case of sour grapes from a journalist aggrieved at United's famed policy of non co-operation with the Press.

And, yes, it would be disingenuous of me to claim part of this rant was not fuelled by that frustrating state of affairs.

But looking at the bigger picture, it's clear United believe themselves to be above making a big deal of a Carling Cup final appearance, which is indicative of the arrogance of the club.

Even the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have held media open days in the past when they have reached the final, recognising their obligation, not just to the competition's sponsors, but to fans and football as a whole.

And there are welcome signs that the football world has tired of Fergie's contempt for the Press, with suggestions the next Premier League TV rights deal will require all managers to attend post-match Press conferences, something Fergie has not done since 2001.

So I make no apologies for hoping Villa lift the Carling Cup on Sunday. It wouldn't change Fergie or United's way of thinking, but at least the team who have treated the competition with the respect it deserves this week would emerge victorious.

That would be justice of sorts.

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