Aluko: I just want to beat Arsenal in FA Cup final

Hull City will face Arsenal Football Club at the Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday in the FA Cup final. Nigeria international Sone Aluko, who plays for Hull, spoke to TheCable and took other questions from twitter on the all-important match of his career

TheCable: Is the FA Cup final still as big a match?

Aluko: Most definitely. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or pretending not to care.

TC: When you missed the penalty in the 4th round tie at Brighton, did you think it would cost your team the progression?

A: You just have to get past it. You cannot afford to let your team lose you because you have missed the pen. You lift your head and go again so that the miss would not prove costly. That’s how I approached it and thankfully we eventually went through.

TC: Describe that feeling when you were getting ready to face Sheffield United at Wembley.

A: At the time all we were thinking was “we cannot lose this game”. As I did not start, naturally I was a bit disappointed. We did not start well, but we picked up in the second-half showing our quality and won through to the final.

TC: Has it sunk in that you are actually a Premier League footballer?

A: Well it has. During pre-season it was all excitement but since it has started I have accepted that yes, I belong at this level. Actually, I had told myself that I have seen a lot of these players play but most of them have not seen me play so I am one up on them there. And it helped me in matches as many were not sure what to expect from me.

TC: How good is your Pidgin English?

A: Very good actually. I spend all my holidays in Lagos every close season so I have no problems there (general laughter).

Via Twitter: Choose one – FA Cup winner or a place in the Nigerian squad to the FIFA World Cup?

A: I can’t choose one. Dreams are made of representing your country at the ultimate football tournament. Same thing the FA Cup is so very important. There are not many Nigerians that have win the FA Cup so I want to be in that group. I want them both.

TC: What is your best position?

A: My best position since my days at Rangers and now at Hull is to be the No.10 behind the striker. In all honesty, the position is probably more of a guide on where one starts the match. I find that I’m not restricted in my play since my move to Rangers. At Aberdeen, when I was younger I was used mostly as a winger.

TC: Your favourite Nigerian footballer ever?

A: Jay Jay Okocha without a doubt. My first World Cup memory was 1998 and I can never forget his roll-over dribbles. I used to be out in the garden straight after Nigeria’s matches to practise it. The man was a magician.

Via Twitter: Are you planning to do an Obafemi Martins to Arsenal in another cup final?

A: It does not matter if I score or not. I just want to win at the end. I spent 10 years at Birmingham City so I was supporting them during the 2011 League Cup final against Arsenal. I was happy when he did score the winner.

Via Twitter: What is your greatest achievement to date?

A: Internationally my Super Eagles debut at Craven Cottage against Ireland even though I was still young and at Aberdeen. That really stands out for me.

Via Twitter: Who has more followers on twitter between you and your sister (Eniola – England international)?

A: I have more followers and this might just be because I have played for clubs with bigger fan base. My sister and I are very proud of each other and we support each other. She and the rest of the family came out to support me at the U-20 World Cup in Egypt back in 2009.

Q: Who is the Hull City prankster?

A: There is a pair Robbie Brady and Paul McShane. Irish pair who are funny as heck but never stop playing pranks.

Q: The worst dress sense?

A: Nikica Jelavic. No contest.

Q: Who chooses the music on the team coach on match days?

A: David Meyler is the DJ. Not a big fan of his music so I just put on my headphones and listen to my music.

After Since the interview Aluko has been suffering with an ankle sprain and his manager at Hull City Steve Bruce says he is “touch and go for the FA Cup final” . It could all be mind games from the former Manchester United skipper who knows that Aluko is vital for his team in the showpiece event at Wembley with Jelavic and Shane Long cup-tied.

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