James: Great opportunity to progress

AFC Bournemouth 'keeper David James is looking forward to the start of this seasons FA Cup campaign.

AFC Bournemouth host League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday in the first round proper of the competition.

The Cherries goalkeeper, who previously won the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008, hasn't played in the first rounds of the FA Cup before, but is hoping the team can put together a cup run to reach the third round where the Championship and Premier League clubs enter the draw.

In recent seasons Championship and Premier League clubs have used their larger squads to their advantage in the early rounds of the competition, but James believes the big clubs still value the worlds oldest club competition.

James told the Daily Echo...

"For any team, winning is the aim whether it is a league or cup game. But, with the amount of money generated, there are teams in the Premier League which are more concerned about staying in the league than having a good cup run...'

'...Once you get to the latter stages, people see it as an entry into Europe. It is a competition taken seriously by the big boys and you only have to look to see who has won it for proof of that. They have got the squads to be able to facilitate putting out decent teams.

"For the likes of us, it is a great opportunity to progress and maybe get a good draw. If you get through the first two rounds, then who knows who you could play. It could be Manchester City or Manchester United and how good would that be."

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