Spurs vs Burnley | Ange relishing prospect of his first FA Cup tie
Fri 05 January 2024, 10:45|
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou is well aware of the global standing of the FA Cup as he prepares to step into the competition for the first time this evening with Burnley providing the opposition for our third round tie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (8pm UK).
The oldest national football competition in the world goes all the way back to 1871/72 and was first televised in 1938. In those days, that was only match to be televised live both here and to a worldwide audience - now, the final is expected to be watched by over 500 million people globally.
We've won the trophy eight times and remain the only non-league side to achieve the feat after beating Sheffield United after a replay in 1901 when we were still in the Southern League.
Speaking to Inside Spurs, Ange said: "It's a competition that has great significance all around the world. FA Cup Final day has an impact all over the globe. It's a great competition, great history, great tradition and hopefully one we can make an impact in."
Asked in his pre-match press conference where the FA Cup stood in terms of priorities, Ange replied: "It ranks with every other game I've been in charge for, they're all important. There's not one that you don't fully focus on and my memories are similar to anyone who loves football. The FA Cup is a significant event on a global scale. The FA Cup final pretty much reaches every corner of the globe and everyone's had some sort of experience with it."
Burnley arrive in N17 with a slight upturn in form in the Premier League with two wins and a draw in their last seven, although you could stretch that back to two wins in the last 13, with 10 of those matches ending in defeat.
Ange added: "It will be a tough game. Their form has improved in the Premier League. Obviously, they're fighting hard to stay in the Premier League for next season. They've had some good cup runs over the last couple of years and that's the thing about any cup competition, form and what's going on in the league becomes a separate entity, it's about what you can do in that 90 minutes of football. Every game is special, it's a home game and we're looking forward to it."
