Carling Cup quotes

Who's been saying what in the build up to this weekend's Carling Cup final at Wembley Stadium?

Who's been saying what in the build up to Sunday's final at Wembley?

While Sunday's Carling Cup final has failed to spark a war of words as yet, parties from both Birmingham and Arsenal have been talking up the Wembley showpiece. Understandably the mood coming coming out of the Midlands is bullish defiance at being cast as underdogs, while Arsenal insist they are 100 per cent focused on ending their silverware drought on Sunday despite being in contention for glory on three other fronts this season. Here's the best of what both camps have have had to say in the build up to the first domestic final of the campaign.

The managers

ALEX MCLEISH

What it means "I've done quite a lot up in Scotland but we Scots always want to try and achieve something down in England so we can live with you guys down here! "For Birmingham to be in the final, it is a great achievement. We were in the Championship only two years ago. "I would never be blase about something like this but I've been involved in a few before and I know you should always saviour things and you've got to take it in your stride. "The semi-final second leg was one of the most famous and best nights I've ever had in my life as a footballer and football manager. "But there is no doubt that to walk a team out at Wembley in a few days' time will be one of the proudest moments of my career. "I also like to make people happy when I am the head of the football side of things and one of my big reasons for doing it is to make the fans happy. "I know what this will mean to them, being at Wembley for a final." Life as an underdog "We are in the final and I've said to the players 'savour it and make sure it's the start of getting into many of these situations'. "We will be underdogs. Arsenal will be hot favourites and had been for the last couple of rounds of the competition to be honest. "But you never know. It is 11 versus 11. We will try and get the tactics and the strategy right and hopefully cause a major upset." On Captain Carr "The evidence is there in how well he is playing this season. "He had a broken toe at the start of the season and once we got that out of the way, he has been fantastic. "Sir Alex (Ferguson) thought he was about 40! He is playing like a young teenager. His energy and enthusiasm has been fantastic. "He has been one of my best signings. He was a fantastic player at Tottenham, had injury problems at Newcastle and they never really healed. "People got the wrong impression about his future in terms of maybe thinking he was finished. "But he has proved all the people wrong who said that, big time."

ARSENE WENGER

Carling Cup commitment "The Carling Cup is very important because it could be the first step on the start of something. The Carling Cup is a trophy that we want to win. "We can gain more respect from everybody if we turn up on Sunday with absolutely full commitment, then people will say this team is ready to have a real go and not choose the competition or the games. "When you are a top level competitive man or team you go absolutely 100 per cent committed into every game. "The Carling Cup is not the only target of the season, but it can help us to achieve the other targets, it can get the pressure off the team to deliver in the other competitions. "I feel we have the opportunity now we are in the final to win one. We have to deliver the needed performance on the day. That is part of mental strength as well." Birmingham respect "Birmingham got to the final because they found the courage and commitment in the second half against West Ham to turn the tie around. "They are a team which will last in the final, which means we will have to be consistent through 90 minutes to beat them because they are a side who never gives up. "We have put effort to get into this final, so now we want to go to the end and win the trophy. "I feel that from the players too, they want to win this competition and win a trophy."

The players

Craig Gardner

True Blue "This is my first full season of first-team football. When I was at Villa it was stop-start. "To play for the team I've supported is a dream come true, getting to a first Wembley final for 55 years and scoring some crucial goals along the way. "I've grown up living all around Birmingham City fans and I know what they want. "Before the second leg of the semi-final, they were phoning me up saying 'Come on, get us to Wembley' and it's easy to say to them 'Don't worry we'll get there.' But we are there. "They always say 'We are a nearly club' but I think getting to this final has proved we have turned over a new leaf and we can make that extra step." No Fear "We are going there as underdogs but we are a team that will never fold. We will never give up and we will give 100% whoever we play. "People say we have nothing to lose but we are going to pass it, we are going to play. "We are going to give Arsenal respect for who they are but we are not going to give them any respect playing-wise. We will be in their faces like we are in everyone's faces. "Arsenal are a great team but we are going to run our socks off and make it difficult for them."

Robin van Persie

Good to be back "I have become stronger in every game and every training session. I am feeling really happy and healthy in myself at the moment. "Sometimes it is good to start cautiously and that was definitely the case for me. "I was right to take things quite carefully when I first came back. You have to keep in mind that I was basically injured for an entire calendar year, except for the summer. "I'd had two big ankle injuries in the space of 12 months and needed some time to get properly fit. "That is why the boss, the medical team and I chose to do things more slowly, step by step, and I think it has paid off in the end." Hungry for silverware "We are hungry for trophies and the Carling Cup is a big one. Everyone can have a great day at Wembley when hopefully we can complete the job. "It is Wembley, where 90,000 people will come and we could lift a trophy, which is really important for all of us. "I believe that can give us a lot of confidence as well, just to lift that trophy and get that feeling together. The fans start to believe and from that moment we can really go for it."

The captains

Stephen Carr

Rally-call "The last time I was at Wembley was a while ago, when Tottenham played Leicester. I can hardly even remember it to be honest, apart from the fact it was a poor game. "I didn't expect to make it to Wembley this season and some players never get the chance to do so. "I thought those days were well gone! I'm lucky but now that it has happened I'm going to enjoy it. People say the Carling Cup isn't a big cup but try telling that to our lads. They are buzzing. "It means so much to us, the hunger has really been there and now we have to do ourselves proud. "We'll be underdogs against Arsenal but I don't care who we are playing. Cup games throw up some funny results."

Cesc Fabregas (via Twitter)

Final hope "I don't know if I'll make Sunday or not, but all I know is that from this moment to Sunday I won't sleep if it's necessary. "I've waited too long to captain a final for Arsenal and I won't give up till the last second."