BOOTHROYD HOPING TO CREATE HISTORY
Aidy Boothroyd, the Watford manager, is "strangely excited" despite the fact that his team are two goals down going into their Championship play-off second leg against Hull. The 37-year-old could become the first man in play-off history to pull back more than a single goal deficit tomorrow at the KC Stadium. He has been given a boost, however, by the news that captain John Eustace will be available.
The central midfielder had been shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Friend in the first leg against for an alleged butt, though the Football Association rescinded his automatic suspension in London today.
Earlier in the tie referee Friend had disallowed a seemingly good Danny Shittu goal, scored after only four minutes. Hull's Nicky Barmby netted four minutes later and Dean Windass fired the visitors two goals ahead on 23 minutes.
Boothroyd was disappointed by Friend's performance, and said: "We were the victim of two very poor refereeing decisions which you don't expect in a game of that magnitude. But I am quite enjoying this in a strange sort of way.
"We are now the hunted rather than the hunter and I enjoy it because you want these tests. You go on all the courses and do all the theory but there is nothing quite like being on the touchline and having to make a battle plan.
"Without doubt this is the biggest game for the club, but all the pressure is on Hull to perform."
An optimistic Boothroyd, whose team have won only once in the last 15 games, will hope central defender Shittu comes though a late fitness test on his hamstring, continued: "I think 3-0 would have been almost impossible, a massive task. But at 2-0 we always have a chance. If we get the first goal, then you never know. It is different when people don't expect you to do it."
"I won't need to pep the players up - it is a do-or-die game. We are going to have to have all of our big-game players."
Hull manager Phil Brown would be vexed if his team do not advance from their position to Wembley's final - dubbed the "£60m game", such are the riches of the Premier League. The fact that Hull is the largest city in Europe never to have had a football club in the top flight is an extra burden that the former Bolton assistant manager also feels.
Brown, who first joined the club as assistant to manager Phil Parkinson only to succeed him in December 2006, said: "When I first arrived at the KC Stadium, under Phil and under [then chairman] Adam Pearson, I could tell that the club has been built for bigger things - for success.
"That relative success came from two successive promotions: from second division to first; first division to Championship. And now, after two survival campaigns in the Championship, we have a full stadium every game, and we are on the verge of the Premier League.
"It would irk me if we didn't make it. We have given ourselves a great chance by going two goals up but we need to get the job done - it is not over by any stretch of the imagination."
Aidy Boothroyd, the Watford manager, is "strangely excited" despite the fact that his team are two goals down going into their Championship play-off second leg against Hull. The 37-year-old could become the first man in play-off history to pull back more than a single goal deficit tomorrow at the KC Stadium. He has been given a boost, however, by the news that captain John Eustace will be available.
The central midfielder had been shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Friend in the first leg against for an alleged butt, though the Football Association rescinded his automatic suspension in London today.
Earlier in the tie referee Friend had disallowed a seemingly good Danny Shittu goal, scored after only four minutes. Hull's Nicky Barmby netted four minutes later and Dean Windass fired the visitors two goals ahead on 23 minutes.
Boothroyd was disappointed by Friend's performance, and said: "We were the victim of two very poor refereeing decisions which you don't expect in a game of that magnitude. But I am quite enjoying this in a strange sort of way.
"We are now the hunted rather than the hunter and I enjoy it because you want these tests. You go on all the courses and do all the theory but there is nothing quite like being on the touchline and having to make a battle plan.
"Without doubt this is the biggest game for the club, but all the pressure is on Hull to perform."
An optimistic Boothroyd, whose team have won only once in the last 15 games, will hope central defender Shittu comes though a late fitness test on his hamstring, continued: "I think 3-0 would have been almost impossible, a massive task. But at 2-0 we always have a chance. If we get the first goal, then you never know. It is different when people don't expect you to do it."
"I won't need to pep the players up - it is a do-or-die game. We are going to have to have all of our big-game players."
Hull manager Phil Brown would be vexed if his team do not advance from their position to Wembley's final - dubbed the "£60m game", such are the riches of the Premier League. The fact that Hull is the largest city in Europe never to have had a football club in the top flight is an extra burden that the former Bolton assistant manager also feels.
Brown, who first joined the club as assistant to manager Phil Parkinson only to succeed him in December 2006, said: "When I first arrived at the KC Stadium, under Phil and under [then chairman] Adam Pearson, I could tell that the club has been built for bigger things - for success.
"That relative success came from two successive promotions: from second division to first; first division to Championship. And now, after two survival campaigns in the Championship, we have a full stadium every game, and we are on the verge of the Premier League.
"It would irk me if we didn't make it. We have given ourselves a great chance by going two goals up but we need to get the job done - it is not over by any stretch of the imagination."
Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Championship, Football Association, Hull City, Premier League, Watford
