In a 43-year career that spanned a continent and peaked at managing England, Roy Hodgson says lifting the FA Cup with Crystal Palace will a “highlight”, but, perhaps more importantly, the cup is a chance for Palace to avoid another forgettable season.
The 2016 finalists travel to Doncaster in the fifth round on Sunday as one of six Premier League sides that stand a chance of being in Monday’s quarter-final draw, and will feel that there is something in this year’s competition for them.
While there is the pride that comes with doing well in the FA Cup, it has become an increasingly important competition for Hodgson given Palace are looking at another forgettable league campaign.
The cup competition is a welcome distraction from another dreary season where one of the best squads in the club’s history is three points above the relegation zone and arguably underachieving.
Booking a date at Wembley by getting to the semi-final will at least make this season memorable for a good reason, regardless of the pride it brings.
“Winning it would certainly be a highlight and something I would be extremely proud of and glad to do," said Hodgson.
"There will be some good Premier League teams left in the quarter-finals, and in the semi-finals, too, so sooner or later you will come up against a team like Manchester City or Chelsea.
"But I will worry about that when we get there. Let us concentrate on this game first and if we win, then we will see what fate brings and the draw sends us.
"It would be a fantastic situation to find myself in, and I would love to do it, even if I only got a finger on the trophy."
What gives Palace the billing of being a ‘decent cup side’ is the surprising depth in the squad. Michy Batshuayi could make his first start since arriving on loan from Chelsea on deadline day, while Max Meyer, Andros Townsend, Bakary Sako and Scott Dann are also expected to feature.
Doncaster, meanwhile, could be setting themselves for a memorable season in the league and are mounting a bid for promotion to the Championship.
"We are in for a big challenge," admitted Hodgson."They are doing well at the moment and we have an awful lot of respect for them.
"We have watched a lot of videos of them playing, and we have been impressed by what we have seen.
"They are on a good run of results and it is a home match for them, so it is not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination.
"We are talking about a team on the verge of the Championship, so we are preparing for a tough ask."
