Email
Print
Digg This
By Mike Collett
LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Cardiff City manager David Jones wants the English FA to consider changing its eligibility rules to allow the Welsh club to play in the UEFA Cup if they qualify through the FA Cup final against Portsmouth on May 17.
Cardiff reached the final for the first time since they famously became the only non-English side to win the FA Cup in 1927 with a 1-0 semi-final win over Barnsley on Sunday.
Under current FA rules, although Cardiff, as a Welsh club are eligible to play in English competitions, they are not allowed to represent England in European competition.
They regularly represented Wales in the now defunct European Cup Winners' Cup as either Welsh Cup winners or runners-up, but if they win this year's final, or Portsmouth qualify for Europe as a result of their Premier League position, Cardiff will demand to be allowed to take part in the UEFA Cup.
Jones told a news conference: "If we happen to win the FA Cup or Portsmouth get into Europe via sixth spot, the European place should go to the other club in the final.
"(UEFA president Michel) Platini has come out and said if it does happen we deserve to be there. We should do.
"Politically, it is a minefield. If we win it then we should go into Europe. There are two or three million people in Cardiff and they will all be banging on the door. There will be all hell to pay if we don't get in and I will be first in the queue."
The FA have said they will review their current legislation, while UEFA have said it is up to the English FA to decide who they nominate to represent England in the UEFA Cup.
WINNING MENTALITY
Jones also said Cardiff would not just come to play a "bit part" against Portsmouth in the final.
"We might be in the Championship (second division) but now that we're there, it's not just a question of turning up and playing a bit part against the Premier League side.
"We want to win it and if we play to our potential we can win it, we can be a match for anyone on our day."
Portsmouth had on Saturday reached the final -- their first since winning the trophy in 1939 -- when they beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at Wembley.
Jones, who came to the news conference in a t-shirt after his suit was soaked in post-match celebrations, praised match-winner Joe Ledley, whose ninth minute goal was enough to give Cardiff victory.
"It was superb. He'll remember it for the rest of his life, no-one can take that away from him," Jones said.
Barnsley striker Kayode Odejayi will also remember the match but for very different reasons.
He missed an excellent opportunity to equalise for Barnsley in the 66th minute but after running through in space and onside he shot wide with only goalkeeper Peter Enckelman to beat.
"When I saw him break through, I just though 'die, pass out, anything', I was just hoping he did what he did," said Jones. "You need a little bit of luck though in the cup and we had it."
Barnsley manager Simon Davey said his team was hugely disappointed after their defeat.
"We've been on a long journey, beaten Liverpool, beaten Chelsea and got to the semi-final at Wembley and to lose is not nice at all.
"Kayode is very disappointed, but we all are. Now we have six cup finals left to try and stay up and avoid relegation -- but we wanted seven."
