FA Cup final 2013: Man City 0-1 Wigan - A tale of two Robertos

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Wigan 'deserved' FA Cup final victory -
Martinez
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Latics ecstatic: Wigan fans celebrate Cup win
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FA Cup final 2013: Man City
0-1 Wigan - A tale of two
Robertos
If this FA Cup final was to be the beginning of
the end for Roberto Martinez and Roberto
Mancini, one was leaving on a magic carpet
while the other was being smuggled out of the
back door.
Wigan Athletic manager Martinez apologised
for his late arrival in Wembley's media theatre
- "sorry gents we're not used to celebrating" -
and declared he had watched movies with
worse scripts than this truly remarkable tale.
History was written by Wigan when substitute
Ben Watson glanced home Shaun Maloney's
corner just as the board was hoisted for three
minutes' stoppage time.
The entertaining and often mystifying team
created by Spaniard Martinez had won their
first major trophy in 81 years and put
English football's most romantic piece of
silverware alongside all those won by their
Rugby League counterparts.
For Manchester City, it was sheer misery.
In football parlance, City barely turned up -
and for Mancini the irritation at events on and
off the pitch was all too plain to see.
The Italian awoke to reports that City had
concluded a deal to replace him with
Malaga's Manuel Pellegrini and the non-
performance of his team darkened both his
mood and his chances of keeping his job.
After insisting the reports were incorrect, he
wavered somewhat and turned on
Manchester City officials for not killing
speculation when it started six months ago.
Whether this was clever timing moments after
an empty-handed season was confirmed
remains to be seen.
For Wigan and Martinez there was little other
than unbridled joy - at least until Tuesday
when they travel to Arsenal in their latest
attempt to avoid relegation to the
Championship.
Martinez likes to sign off his match notes with
the Spanish phrase "Sin Miedo" - Without Fear
- and if 90 minutes summed up that
philosophy then this was it.
Wigan were magnificent. Fearless, refusing to
take a backward step.