Liverpool legend John Barnes has been in his fair share of important games throughout his career, and since retiring from the game, has been involved in coverage of such matches for broadcasters ESPN.
On the day that Sports Mole were invited to get a behind-the-scenes look at ESPN's full-day coverage of the FA Cup final at Wembley, we caught up with him ahead of Wigan Athletic's 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
Here, Barnes told us and a group of reporters what's it's like to be in front of the camera on Cup final days, how Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has coped in his first season in charge and how Manchester United supporters should treat new boss David Moyes.
Being involved with ESPN on FA Cup final day
"The FA Cup is a very special time and it's great to be involved. The excitement that it brings the whole country. I was in London last night and regardless of who's playing, it's just such a special day. Generally speaking when you work in television you hang around a lot, you don't generally like being around, but the FA Cup is different. At times with ESPN on league games, we're around for a long time but with the FA Cup final, it's such an exciting time. People have been here from six or seven in the morning, but it doesn't bother me."
Discussing whether players and clubs still have the desire to win the FA Cup due to the priority of the Premier League
"They went through a period like that about seven or eight years ago. I remember when Manchester United went to play in the World Club Championships and, I don't know whether they didn't pull out of the FA Cup or they didn't play a weaker side as we've seen, but that is when the Champions League and finishing in the top four was so important, then everyone said, 'well, okay, we're going to put all our eggs in one basket'. Then I think because of the reaction from the fans, because it's such a great day for the fans, they stopped being disrespectful to the FA Cup.
"Of course you're always going to get Wigan, and I suppose Millwall got to the cup final a few years ago, but in terms of importance that clubs now pay the FA Cup, in so far as the teams they actually play, maybe not in the early rounds, but come the quarter-finals everyone is putting out their top teams. So, I think that those days are gone and they now respect the FA Cup once again by wanting to win it because the fans want a trophy. Everyone now realises the importance of it, because in the semi-finals there was Man City, Manchester United, Chelsea, so there are big teams opening up strong teams to try to get to the final."
Considering whether Luis Suarez will still be a Liverpool player by next season
"I think he will, but if he isn't would it surprise me? No, because this is modern football. Players come, players go. I wouldn't have thought [Fernando] Torres would have left, so things that happen in football now don't surprise me. Yes, I would like Suarez to stay and he's making all the right noises to stay, but we know what modern football is like. Me not being part of the club or not knowing Suarez can say as a Liverpool fan, 'yes I think he will', but he is the only one who will know whether he stays or not. Anything that happens in football doesn't surprise me, so if he wasn't here he wouldn't surprise me."
Assessing Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers's first season in charge
"I think he's done well. When he first came, I said that I'm not putting any pressure on him, I'm not having any expectations on Liverpool this year. I'll put more pressure on them next year to improve. If you go to Liverpool or any club straight away and it works - fine, but if it doesn't, I don't think that people should expect it to. A lot of people say every year, and that's been happening at all clubs, the expectations for instant success and achieve straight away.
"However, there's no better example than Sir Alex Ferguson after four years at Manchester United. You stick with him and you look at what's happened. So that is why I'm looking at Liverpool - I like the way they're playing, I think that they have great potential. If they get the consistency of the performances that we've seen of this year, they will improve next year."
Whether Manchester United fans, who are used to success, will expect David Moyes to hit the ground running when he becomes manager in July
"They should expect Manchester United to continue in the same vein because there's no reason for Manchester United not to continue, and if they don't continue in the way they have, you don't look at David Moyes, you look at the players. The players have to have the respect of the manager of Manchester United, the integrity of the club, the integrity of football.
"What is the difference? The difference is if we then subconsciously decide that if things don't go well, we know that the fans are not going to have a go at us, they're going to have a go at David Moyes, so maybe we will take our foot off the pedal. So, for me, that is a slight on the players because we know that David Moyes is a good manager, but we know what football's like, and I'm a Liverpool fan so I want things to go wrong, obviously, but I would urge the Manchester United fans to put pressure on the players to keep playing in the way they have even though Sir Alex Ferguson's isn't there. There's no reason for them not to and David Moyes shouldn't be blamed if they don't. You look at the character and the attitude of the players if they take their foot off the pedal."
