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Friday 08 May 1998 Previous News 2 Next

BERGKAMP FEARS LOSING
CUP FINAL FITNESS FIGHT

It Looks Like Wembley Heartache For Top Gunner

ARSENAL star Dennis Bergkamp is losing his fight to be fit for the FA Cup Final.

The Dutch ace is struggling with a hamstring injury and the feeling within Highbury is that Arsenal's Wembley date with Newcastle a week tomorrow will come just a bit too soon for him, providing a disappointing end to what has been a magnificent season for the double Player of the Year winner.

Manager Arsene Wenger is now virtually resigned to being without the brilliant Bergkamp for the showpiece occasion, which could see the Gunners become only the second side this century, after Manchester United, to complete the 'double double'.

Wenger also has doubts over Ian Wright's fitness but it is the Dutchman who is giving him the most cause for concern. He said: ''I am not optimistic. I would say Dennis is 30-70 against being fit to play at Wembley. I am not confident at all.''

The Arsenal boss is even more reluctant to speculate on Wright's injury situation after the veteran striker was carried off with a badly bruised leg following a tackle by his best friend Paul Ince at Anfield on Wednesday night.

It was Wright's first start after four months out with a series of leg injuries and there were initial fears that the injury could even threaten his place at this summer's World Cup Finals. That now seems unlikely, though. Wenger said: "Ian was scared when he felt so much pain, but he only has some bruising and could even be fit for our final game on Sunday at Aston Villa.

"Whether he can make the Final is open to doubt. He needs competitive matches. After three and a half months out he did very well against Liverpool, but he clearly still needs more competitive matches. He only has one more game to go before Wembley, and we will just have to see how he progresses.''

It would be a double blow for both players, but particularly for Bergkamp because the FA Cup Final should have been the perfect stage for him. Having been forced to sit out Arsenal's Championship winning celebrations, the Player of the Year now faces Wembley heartache and missing out on the chance to fulfil a career-long dream.

He admitted: "I said even before I went to Italy that the one thing I want to do in my career is play in a Cup Final. It's a special day, with a worldwide audience and it would be great to be part of it.

"In Italy, if you win the Cup, it doesn't really matter. The final is played over two games, home and away, and they are not full houses. Here it is unbelievable."


OVERMARS: DON'T EXPECT
A DUTCH INVASION
 
Exclusive By Harry Pratt
MARC OVERMARS is lapping up life in the Premiership, but Arsenal's flying Dutchman is far from convinced others back home will soon be clogging up the customs at Dover.
Although Overmars - along with fellow Highbury hero Dennis Bergkamp, Leeds striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank and Nottingham Forest hitman Pierre Van Hooijdonk - has proved how successful they can be, he doesn't think every Dutchman is necessarily tailor-made for the cut and thrust action of English football.
Speaking at adidas' World Cup launch in London yesterday, the £7m signing from Ajax admitted: I am really enjoying my time in England. I think I have improved as a player here and that's because the football is suited to my style of play. To be honest, I don't see too many more Dutch players suddenly coming to this country just because of what Dennis and I have achieved. A lot of the top players are already playing abroad at big clubs anyway, and some of them wouldn't necessarily fit in with the Premiership. I might enjoy it, but I'm not going to start advising Dutch players to follow me. It depends on the individual and what his strengths are. The pace of the game is incredible and that is ideal for me.
The other thing I like about English football is it is so attacking. Whenever a team has the chance to push forward, they take it. I think that's why if you ask most soccer fans which League football they prefer to watch, they pick the Premiership as the best and most exciting.
So can Arsenal and their deadly Dutch duo make a serious challenge for European glory next season? Overmars sees no reason why not, despite the team's disappointing showing in this year's UEFA Cup.
A former Champions' Cup winner with Ajax, the 25-year-old added: Obviously, we believe we have a chance as we've qualified as champions. It's about getting a decent blend of experience and youth and the manager is close to finding the right amounts of both.
I know we went out in the first round this season, but that was more to do with the game coinciding with a bad dip in form. We lost quite a few matches in the League leading up to those two games and that had an effect on our performances. I don't think it would have been that way had we been playing like we are now!

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