Kanu: Baggies clash will be a tough test
Former Baggie Kanu
By Jemma Tappenden
April 3 2008
Despite the ever increasing trend of some footballers being full of loath for their former clubs, there does occasionally crop up the Mr Nice Guy, who just can’t help but get a little nostalgic over their previous employers. So with the FA Cup semi final fast approaching, it is heart warming I’m sure for Albion fans to hear of the respect that one former Baggie still has for the club.
He may well have lifted the trophy twice already during his Arsenal days, and be searching for a third bout of FA Cup glory this weekend, but former Baggie Kanu is full of praise for his former club ahead of the semi final.
The Premier League titles, FA Cup medals, UEFA and Champions League successes have not increased the vanity of Kanu, who is all too aware of the task facing Portsmouth this weekend, and has issued a start warning to his team mates to not underestimate their Championship opposition.
Like the Baggies, Portsmouth will view this as a golden opportunity to lift a trophy that otherwise is so often out of reach. And they will take extra confidence from being one of the sides responsible for knocking out one of the ‘big four’, a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the quarter finals.
Pompey are now favourites to win the trophy, with Albion second favourites. But Harry Redknapp’s side are no strangers to overcoming Championship sides in this competition, having already knocked out Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End.
Kanu, like all of the other players in prospect for the semi final clash from both clubs, is dreaming of another trip to Wembley for the final. But he knows overcoming Tony Mowbray’s men will be no easy task. They are the highest placed Championship side that Pompey will have faced, and currently hold the title of the countries leading scorers. He believes being favourites will add a whole pressure of its own.
The Nigerian joined Albion in the summer of 2004 after their second promotion to the Premiership in recent years, and left the club 2 seasons later after their relegation back to the Championship. During his two years at the club he made 53 appearances scoring 7 goals, 1 of which ironically came against his former club Arsenal in Albion’s superb 2-1 victory at the Hawthorns in October 2005.