When giants fall: the dangers of playing in a cup tie you are expected to win

The men’s FA Cup fourth round gets under way on Friday, and from Middlesbrough visiting Manchester United to Boreham Wood’s game at Bournemouth on Sunday, it is full of potential upsets. In theory this should be a normal week of preparation for the top players but when you are facing a side from a lower division things can change in training. Looking back I can see how it affected teammates I played with.

Managers would often alter the side for a cup tie against a team who, on paper at least, are weaker and this could affect the squad in many ways. For a player who knows they will be given a chance to impress, it puts extra pressure on them to perform. They know it could be their one chance to prove to the manager they can be trusted more often and if they fail to seize the opportunity they might not be in the side for a long time.

Then there is the danger of regulars dropping their effort levels in training, knowing they effectively have a weekend off if they are being rested. If an individual does not operate at their usual standard on the training ground, it does not help teammates who need to be at their best at the weekend but could end up undercooked for a match that the opposition will be desperate to impress in.

Squad players give it their all in training each week to ensure the regular starters are in the best condition to win, so if they are not shown the same respect when it is their time to shine, they will not be happy. It is down to the culture at the club to ensure everyone’s attitude is right throughout the season for the good of every player.

It is the manager’s choice who is selected but they do need to get the balance right, especially when wanting to give squad players and youngsters a chance.

The key