Brad Jones helps Liverpool FC to FA Cup final - but admits he has no chance of playing in Wembley return
- By Ian Doyle
- Apr 16 2012
Brad Jones at Wembley after Liverpool beat Everton
BRAD JONES ended a whirlwind week by helping Liverpool reach the FA Cup final – then cheerily admitted he has no chance of playing in the showpiece.
The Australia international became the first player in the club's history to play his first four competitive matches in four different competitions by making his first start since December 2010 in Saturday's 2-1 semi-final win over Everton.
Jones, who hadn't even been in a first-team squad under Kenny Dalglish until coming off the bench to play in Tuesday's Premier League win at Blackburn Rovers, kept goal at Wembley after both first-choice keeper Pepe Reina and deputy Alexander Doni where suspended.
Reina returns from his three-match ban this week and, barring injury or further suspension, is certain to be the man between the posts when the team returns to Wembley on May 5.
And Jones said: "I'm a realist – I'm not playing in the final! Pepe is one of the best in the world, it is up to him to go and get us a trophy now. I've told him already, it's his job to get us that trophy!
"I can't even think I can be the number two, either, because Doni is a Brazil international who played seven years at Roma, so I have to look at it I'm just happy to come in and get my moment.
"Pepe was buzzing, he broke the 100 metres record to get over to me at the end.
"He knows he's got the opportunity to play here again, and we are all excited to have that opportunity. We know the job's not done, we get to come back and have a chance for proper celebrations."
Jones had no chance saving Everton's opener from Nikica Jelavic, and otherwise had a quiet afternoon as Liverpool fought back with goals from Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.
"In the end the boys kept the ball away from me, so I have them to thank – there wasn't too much going on and that shows the class of the defence," said the Australian.
"I wasn't going to hide though, I came for the crosses because that's my game, I try to stick to my strengths. That's something I'm confident of doing, and I was never going to hide.
"At the end of the day though, it was all about the boys who scored the goals, they were the heroes. I didn't have a shot to save, and other than a couple of high balls it was quiet for me.
"To come to Wembley against Everton doesn't really get much bigger as a Liverpool player. I am just delighted with the final result."
Jones, whose son Nico was born last week, dedicated the victory to his late son Luca, who died last November after a long battle with leukaemia.
"I looked to the heavens at the end. My boy was my biggest fan and I knew I had to do it for him, so that was for him.
"It is also impossible to comprehend what has happened to me in the last 10 days. With Nico being born, getting on at Blackburn and then playing at Wembley for Liverpool in a derby, that's the stuff of a lifetime's dreams crammed into 10 days."
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