SportsNet

Wigan Athletic boss Roberto Martinez masterminded a shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City, again proving he is a manager destined for greater things.

Martinez and his threadbare, relegation-threatened squad outplayed and out-thought the multi, multi-million pound City starting 11. Ben Watson headed in a corner in stoppage time to give The Latics the trophy.

Performing these kind of miracles with limited resources, has defined Martinez as a manager. He has not only proved that you can still play attacking, passing football and survive on a limited budget, but you can also win things doing it as well.

Wigan dominated possession against the English Premier League's second-placed team. Martinez's men usually do make the ball their own, by sticking to a patient, forward-thinking style of passing.

It's an attractive, thoughtful brand of football that other managers, despite having the luxury of more money, often shun. Martinez doesn't boast riches in the transfer market, but uses what he has to sign skilled, technical players who can execute his vision of attack.

Manchester City, having spent billions of pounds on players and facilities has been roundly beaten by a club and team that is worth virtually nothing in real terms. However, where there is real heart and passion, there is the will to win and Wigan had that in spades.

The FA Cup is true romance and today was no exception with Wigan playing Cinderella. City has spent fortunes to try and compete with the top clubs, but it just shows that it is one thing buying all the top players, but it is another thing winning things fairly. Wigan proved that team work will always trump mercenaries and money-grabbing players whose only passion is how much they can screw out of the game.

Congratulations also to Dave Whelan, owner of Wigan Athletic, whose own FA Cup dream was shattered exactly 50 years ago as he suffered a broken leg playing for Blackburn Rovers in the final of 1963.

Justice was done here today, where the true footballing club beat the financial cheats of Manchester City.

Well done Wigan Athletic.

Whilst Roberto Mancini prepares his team for the FA Cup final, 1100 miles away in Malaga, head coach Manuel Pellegrini has been making his goodbye speeches to staff and players at the La Liga club. Mancini has in the last few days been writing his own eulogy as he recounted that he won a number of trophies and titles for Inter Milan, only to be dumped rather unceremoniously. During his stay at Manchester City, he has won the coveted Premier League Title and the FA Cup and is in today’s FA Cup final. Not a bad CV until you realise the delusional requirements of billionaire owners who lives thousands of miles from the clubs they purport to cherish and nurture.

When a manager is leaving a club under the sorts of circumstances under which David Moyes is leaving Everton, there is a swell of goodwill from the fans of the clubs they are vacating. These managers often come out with well-versed platitudes like, "I will not be coming back to plunder my old clubs players". Does anybody really believe that? The answer is no, because take Brendan Rodgers for example. When he left Swansea, he came out with the same claptrap, yet only a few weeks later was taking Joe Allan back to Liverpool, after the player "asked" to leave!

Anybody thinking that Moyes will not be straight back to Everton for their players is living in La-La land. The first player on the list is not Leighton Baines, although he most probably will be second, it will be Marouane Fellaini. He has already been sabre-rattling about how he wants to play for a club in the Champions League, does not want to play up front, but wants to play in his preferred position of defensive midfielder, breaking up play and all that. Here is what Fellaini had to say about his situation:-

Sean Lee and Bruce Carter will determine the success of the Dallas Cowboys' new 4-3 defense. Even though the Cowboys have switched to a scheme featuring an extra defensive linemen, their two young linebackers will determine its success.

Wily old coordinator Monte Kiffin places a lot of coverage responsibility on his linebackers. They are charged with covering short, underneath areas and deep zones.

Kiffin demands superior athletes at the position. Fortunately that's exactly what he has in Lee and Carter.

If the pair stay healthy they are arguably the best tandem of young linebackers in the NFL. Both possess sideline-to-sideline speed and a knack for making plays in pass defense.

Kiffin's scheme will rely on their playmaking talents. Carter will have one of the most important roles as the weak-side linebacker.

In Kiffin's 'under' fronts, two defensive linemen are usually stacked over on the weakside. That keeps the weak-side 'backer covered up and free to make plays.