Pardew senses destiny

ByEurosport

Published 23/04/2006 at 21:19 GMT

West Ham manager Alan Pardew believes destiny helped his team into the FA Cup final at the expense of Middlesbrough on Sunday. Despite being outplayed through long periods of the match a single Marlon Harewood strike proved enough to secure a first final

Last week saw the death of ex-Hammers manager John Lyall, the man who steered the east London club to the trophy in both 1975 and 1980.

This followed the death of former West Ham and England coach Ron Greenwood earlier in the year, the man who presided over their 1964 cup win.

"We've lost Ron and John, and the one little word I put in my notes today was that maybe it was our destiny to get there. And that was the word," Pardew said.

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1975 West Ham John Lyall

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"To the families of Greenwood and Lyall, we did it for you."

However, his team's performance left much to be desired, although they survived being dominated through the opening period to turn things around after the break.

"We were disappointed in the first half but the second half was what we are all about.

FOOTBALL 2005-2006 FA Cup Middlesbrough-West Ham Harewood

Image credit: Reuters

"We raised the tempo, caused problems for them and got the goal.

"The players turned it around and dug themselves out of a little hole and got a great win. It's a fantastic achievement for a promoted club and we look forward to the final."

DOWN AND OUT

Opposing manager Steve McClaren faces another big semi-final on Thursday against Steaua Bucharest, and will hope that his team take the chances they create in that match after failing to capitalise on their supremacy when they had the opportunity.

"We didn't score when we had the chances," he said. "We usually take them -- and today we didn't.

"It's not endeavour or character that let us down today, it was just the quality of the final ball, of the finish... West Ham hung in there and took their one opportunity."

Looking ahead to Europe, trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Romania, McClaren said: "For 24 hours we'll be down about this result, there's nothing I can say that will cheer anyone up in that dressing room.

"Then Tuesday, we get on with the job. I said to them 'how you feel now, let's make sure we don't feel like that on Thursday.'"

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