Magic Of The

As the competition becomes more and more insipid, pundits and commentators always have a few stock phrases to fall back on.

Cliché number one: Each television programme covering the FA Cup must include at least one mention of the phrase this is what the FA Cup is all about'.

Most often used to describe the plucky underdog giving the big boy a bloody nose, the phrase became worryingly contagious when Havant and Waterlooville made mugs of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool three weeks ago.

Strange, though, that pundits never survey half-strength teams playing in half-empty stadiums and declare this is what the Carling Cup is all about'.

Or watch England lose on penalties and extol that this is what the World Cup is all about'.

Pundits who utter the phrase this is what the FA Cup is all about' are also prone to other clichés like he'll be disappointed with that' or you've got to give your manager time, just look at Alex Ferguson at Manchester United'.

Cliché number two: The FA Cup and the word magic are inextricably linked. No other word shall be used to describe the competition.

I've often wondered why a company has never named itself Magic Of The'. They can sponsor the FA Cup without having to spend a single penny. People already refer to The Magic Of The' FA Cup.

Cliché number three: If your team's manager states before the match that he will pick a side to win the game', be very afraid.

This handy phrase means that he will be resting his entire first team to save them for their fight for the title/push for Europe/battle against relegation/pointless mid-table existence.

The team he puts out will try to win but he knows full well they won't, mainly because his reserves are useless wasters. And that's just as well because he hates the competition.

Cliché number four: The pitch is a leveller.

This is roughly translated as this pitch is so poor that neither side has a cat in hell's chance of playing decent football on it'.

Manchester City fans also know to their cost that the new phrase these balloons are a leveller' has much the same meaning.

And finally, cliché number five: Everton have suffered a shock exit in the third round of the FA Cup.

* Terrible thing, this idea to play Premier League games all around the world. Selling the soul of English football for a few quid.

Is it wrong that part of me is thinking, Still, it'll be a good trip, eh?' * Another year, another crazy rule change from the RFL.

Super League referees will now be able to take charge of matches involving their home-town club.

If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.

I would not question the integrity of referees but I know plenty of fans who would if, for instance, Steve Ganson was put in charge of a match between home-town club St Helens and Warrington.

There are no benefits to the change so its introduction can only be taken as an admission by the RFL that rugby league does not have enough decent referees to go around.