In another era, Calum McFarlane’s appearance at Wembley would be viewed as a vintage piece of FA Cup lore. Here he is on English football’s national day, with the chance to be the first English manager to win the competition since Harry Redknapp in 2008, and in just his sixth game as a coach.
Donning the suit for the final was an image that so many managers long dreamed of. Brian Clough famously only got to do it two years from retirement, and never won the FA Cup. A novice like McFarlane now stands 90 minutes from glory, with the challenge of having to out-coach a great like Pep Guardiola only adding to the story.
