Graeme Bailey chats exclusively with Wigan star Ali Al-Habsi ahead of the FA Cup Final in the final part of our Cup Dreams feature. It'll take a monumental effort from Wigan to upset the bookies but Al-Habsi is looking forward to Saturday's showpiece all the same...
Friday 10 May 2013 12:58, UK
The final part of Cup Dreams sees Graeme Bailey talking exclusively to Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi.
Our Cup Dreams feature comes to a close this weekend with the FA Cup final, and we chat with Ali Al-Habsi ahead of Wigan's clash with Manchester City. The all-Premier League clash sees City looking to get their hands on some silverware after coming up short in the Premier League - whilst Wigan are hoping they can avoid adding their name to the list of clubs, currently six, who have made the cup final and also been relegated in the same season. No team has ever won the FA Cup final and been relegated in the same season - but Wigan will not be thinking about those facts. They want to be a Premier League club in 2014 and have the silverware to go with it. But, no matter what, Saturday will be a poignant occasion for Wigan, the team who were only formed in 1932 - by which point their opponents Manchester City had already claimed one of their five cup successes. On so many levels, for Wigan, Saturday's showpiece will be an historical occasion. For Al-Habsi himself it is a momentous day. If he lifts the cup, he would become the first Arab ever to do so. "It is so big, everyone will be watching in the Middle East," he told Sky Sports. "I am the first Oman player in a cup final and if we win I will be the first Arab to win the trophy - so that would be huge for me and for my country. "My mum, my brothers and many people from Oman will be there for me, making the day even more special, and we just hope we can do something special ourselves." The 31-year-old arrived in England via Norwegian football in 2006 when he signed for Bolton. But it was not until this year that he fulfilled one of his dreams by playing at the home of football when he started the semi-final win over Millwall at Wembley.