No doubt Chelsea will win it, then Conte will be fired the next day. Just another chapter in the denigration of the FA Cup, a process started by the FA themselves during that awful 1999-2000 competition. You remember it, folks. It was the year they persuaded United (against Fergie's better judgement) that they should forget about defending the Cup and their treble and instead jet off to God-knows-where for some ludicrous kick about that nobody could possibly recall to memory even if their lives depended upon it. It was the year Darlington were knocked out twice, first by Gillingham in Round Two and then by Aston Villa after reappearing as the "Lucky Losers" in round three. And the final was the last ever in front of the twin towers at the old Wembley, and so it should have been quite an occasion. Instead it was 'contested' (for want of a better word) by Chelsea and Villa, both of whom made it plain that they could only see it as a "route into Europe" and couldn't really give a rats about winning the trophy itself. Indeed, Villa manager John Gregory gave a pre-match interview looking mildly irritated by the entire proceedings, and I doubt he would have bothered setting the alarm that morning if it hadn't been for the possible "route into Europe". Chelsea won it, and paraded the trophy around afterwards looking vaguely relieved that the day hadn't been a total waste of their time, which they would much rather have spent elsewhere.
So, like I say, no doubt they'll win it this time as well.
