'Wonderful moment'

Sheringham says League Cup is highlight of career

LONDON (AP) -- Teddy Sheringham has scored in a Champions League final, won a FA Cup and three league titles, and at the age of 35 earned a recall to the England squad.

But Sheringham said leading Tottenham out on Sunday for the League Cup final against Blackburn at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, surpasses all that.

The second-tier club knockout competition is the first trophy contested in English soccer this season. It could be the last all-English League Cup if proposals to include Scottish teams are incorporated next season.

"It will be a wonderful moment for me to lead the team out, perhaps the proudest," Sheringham said. "It is the dream of every professional to captain the team you have always followed. Only one thing will make that even better and that will be to collect the Cup at the end."

Sheringham joined Spurs in 1992 and five years later moved to Manchester United, where he was part of the treble winning team in 1999, capturing the European Champions Cup, Premier League and FA Cup.

Sheringham returned to Tottenham at the beginning of this season.

"I loved it at Manchester United and I learned a lot there," Sheringham said. "I learned about what it takes to be a winner, to have to be at your best week-in, week-out."

The United connection will follow him Sunday -- with former teammate Andy Cole, who moved to Blackburn on Dec. 29 after becoming frustrated with spending much of the season as a substitute.

The two England strikers did not get along at United, falling out after a goal conceded at Bolton in 1998. They didn't speak a word to each other as the feud dragged on.

But Sheringham still respects Cole as a player.

"He is a good player who has proved he can get goals," Sheringham said. "We will have to watch out for him. He will be a danger."

Another former Manchester United player, Henning Berg, is likely to be Sheringham's marker Sunday.

"He has a lot of experience and has played in many big games for United," Sheringham said. "That will be a plus for Blackburn."

Spurs have won the League Cup three times, the last in 1999.

Blackburn has never won the League Cup, its best showing being the semifinals in 1962 and 1993. Rovers last won the FA Cup in 1928, but won the Premier League in 1995, interrupting the Manchester United dominance of the last decade.

The winner of the League Cup has automatic entry to the UEFA Cup -- a point not lost as neither team has a strong chance of qualifying via the league. Blackburn is third from bottom in the league, in danger of being relegated this season, while Tottenham is in eighth position.

The smallest things count.

Blackburn won the coin toss for "home" advantage, allowing it to use its choice of playing shirt.

Rovers also got the "lucky" end of the stadium for their fans -- home to all seven winning sets of supporters in last soccer season's matches held at the Cardiff ground.

After Tottenham's traditional light blue away kit was deemed to be too similar to Blackburn's blue and white strip, Spurs made a new one-off strip -- in yellow.

But it could be a good omen for Spurs -- the last time they wore yellow in an important game was in the 1982 FA Cup final replay when current manager Glenn Hoddle scored the only goal to beat Queens Park Rangers.

Spurs has injury worries over midfielder Darren Anderton and defender Ledley King. Both had to pull out of England's Feb. 13 friendly match against the Netherlands -- in what was King's first international callup. They also missed Sunday's 4-0 win over Tranmere in the FA Cup fifth round.

Blackburn is set to field Jorge Gonzalez on Sunday. The Real Zaragoza striker signed for Rovers on a loan deal for the rest of the season on Thursday. But Turkish defender Hakan Unsal, also signed Thursday, is unlikely to play as he has to apply for a work permit.

Rovers manager Graeme Souness is short of midfield cover, however, with Garry Flitcroft and Tugay both suspended, but Alan Mahon is back in training.

 

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