For leading clubs the League Cup may be nothing more than a chaser compared to the stronger stuff available in the Premiership and Champions League. Yet tomorrow's final in Cardiff should provide a mild degree of intoxication at the very least.
Both Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham like to pass the ball accurately and imaginatively. In Teddy Sheringham, Darren Anderton, Gustavo Poyet and Christian Ziege, moreover, Spurs have players who catch the eye more than most while Matt Jansen, David Dunn and Damien Duff bring an intermittent distinction to Rovers' game.
That said, there have been enough bad memories of promising League Cup finals not to presume too much of this one.
Last season's encounter between Liverpool and Birmingham City was saved from ignominy by the Nationwide team taking Gerard Houllier's side to a shoot-out after Darren Purse's late penalty had forced extra-time - that and the uplifting setting of the Millennium Stadium.
For Graeme Souness and Blackburn even victory would barely be worth a second glance amid Rovers' struggle to stay in the Premier League.
Until the beginning of December Blackburn were looking safe but now they are in the bottom three.
The football is still neat but the shortage of goals remains chronic and Andy Cole's £7.5 million sterling arrival from Manchester United has yet to solve the problem.
Yordi, the Spanish striker just signed on loan from Real Zaragoza, may provide one answer while Mark Hughes, a doyen at 38 but still a potential cup-winner, is available on the bench.
Not that Blackburn's cause has been helped by the suspensions which have knocked away two important props, Garry Flitcroft and Tugay Kerimoglu, from their midfield.
If Anderton's sore Achilles tendon has eased sufficiently to allow him to join Poyet in Spurs' midfield, a first cup as manager for Hoddle would be even more likely.
And should Spurs achieve the quality they showed when beating Chelsea 5-1 in the second leg of the semi-finals, one of the season's outstanding performances in any competition, Hoddle will surely get his trophy.
A final decision on closing the Millennium Stadium roof will be taken at 11.30 this morning. Both clubs have consented to the possibility.
Guardian Service
