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While the rest of the known world is humming along to videos of former Bilbo near-hitmaker Colin Chisholm belting out the Hearts song, down south there’s an FA Cup final to be played. The romance of the Cup? About that: private equity Chelsea underdogs versus nation-state owned Manchester City? Be still our beating heart. Sure, there’s narrative to be found. Calum McFarlane getting measured for his Wembley suit when less than 12 months ago he was on Southampton’s coaching staff is one. Though, considering recent ongoing events at Saints, any romance there has probably been squeezed dry. That Chelsea’s players put in such a fine performance in the semi-final against Leeds mere days after not running a leg for Liam Rosenior at Brighton casts long shadows over a squad not exactly beloved by fans.
Remember Enzo Maresca? There’s a chance that we will be hearing a lot more from him since Pep Guardiola’s future remains opaque, perhaps most of all to Guardiola himself. The search for signals goes down all sorts of alleys. Just what was he doing at Stockport County? Why are fitness coaches marching through the door marked Do One? Why does he keep talking about holidays and cocktails? What, precisely, is that centre-circle display that resembles Michael Jackson at the 1996 Brits that a candid camera caught being rehearsed?
