'It's great for our supporters'

Watch the video here »

First of all Ian, what's the mood like around the football club today?

There's a great mood, everybody's very happy, it was a fantastic night, one of those special nights everyone will remember for a long time and I think a great night for our fans which is probably the most important thing. The club has been through a lot, on and off the pitch, over the past couple of years at least and last night, hopefully, was some payback. A great night, a great occasion for everyone but we mustn't get carried away, we're going to Wembley for a final and there's still a lot to do to win it.

But no, it was a fantastic evening, everything from round the dressing room to round the club to around the city today: you can see everybody with a spring in their step and a smile on their face.

This is what LFC is all about isn't it? Enjoying big nights and looking forward to cup finals...

Absolutely and I think it's particularly special because it's at the new Wembley and it's not a place that we've played at in a final before. The old Wembley we have some fantastic history and memories of and likewise we sort of made Cardiff our home in some ways with some great wins there. So it's a great chance to put this one on the board and hopefully a great chance to go and win it. It's always a great day out going to Wembley and any Cup final is fantastic. From the trip to get there to the day itself, so I'm sure everybody is looking forward to it.

A whole generation of Liverpool fans will never have been to Wembley before so it's great for them as well isn't it?

Yes absolutely. I think even for our owners, who were both there last night, Tom and John, for everybody like that. It's obviously very special to our younger fans who've never been before and, as I say, for the owners. I think we all know as fans that once you've experienced it, it's another level and the ability to go there and the week building up to the game itself and everything that comes after it as well. I'm sure everybody will be getting excited and certainly last night we saw some of that.

How happy were the owners after the game?

Fantastic. I think it's come at such a great time because it gives everybody a little lift and they've been very committed to the club since they came in. They've made a great investment in the club. They continue to support us all, on and off the pitch, and it's nice to see everybody giving them something back. As I say, we are not getting carried away - we've got to go and win the thing but I think they were very pleased. Kenny has often talked about making progress and that's what we're all focused on in all areas of the club and last night was definitely progress.

Kenny taking us back to Wembley in his first full season in charge...Just like old times?

Very much so, yes. There's been a lot of talk in the media about him looking very emotional at the end of it and I think that speaks volumes of Kenny. He's a great man and a great manager but I think if you saw his face at the end there, you'll know just how much he cares about this football club. That's one of the reasons why he's the right man for the job. He genuinely cares and he's passionate about everything: the club, the city, the fans. So I think it was a very big night for him as well.

Being the professional that he is, he will have enjoyed last night but now it's all eyes on the next big test this week...

Absolutely and Kenny was talking about it last night straight after the game but that's the nature of the man and the job, isn't it? It's all about the next game and what better a game to come next? It's probably the biggest match-up in football. And it's another big, exciting fixture at Anfield and another great opportunity for our crowd to get behind us.  They don't come any bigger than Liverpool vs. Manchester united and there's been some fantastic games over the years. Coupled with it being the FA Cup again, for the second year in a row, we've drawn them in the early rounds. So it just promises to be a fantastic occasion.

There has been a lot said about this fixture from outside, just give us an idea of what the relationship is like between the two clubs.

The relationship is good. Off the pitch we have a fantastic relationship with Manchester United. We talk to them on a regular basis on all different levels on a whole different manner of things. I know our owners are very close to the Glazers and talk to them and that's the way it should be. The rivalry is on the pitch and so it should be but we all support our respective team and we all support them as much as we can. It's not the same when you get into the business or the administrative side of it - we're not all competing with each other as such and we all have a duty to work together to deliver the best we can for our individual clubs but also for the game and for the league. We have a good relationship, we always have and they are good people.

It was a great atmosphere on Wednesday, it'll be just as good if not better on Saturday, what would your message be to the Liverpool fans?

More of the same I think. Last night was a fantastic example of just how lucky we are to have such a fantastic group of fans and a fantastic crowd at Anfield. There's always talk about different competitions and the noise of the crowd and last night, for me, it felt like a big European night. The crowd, everything from the You'll Never Walk Alone towards the end, it was just special. [We want] more of the same. There's been a lot written and a lot said about this fixture and some of it written for the wrong reasons. What we're really focused on and what we want the fans to focus on is the game. We want to go and win that, we want to progress in the FA Cup just as we have in the Carling Cup and we always want to beat Manchester United because that's the nature of the game. Everyone should be focused on that, which I'm sure they will be. My mates and my friends who I've spoken to are all just very excited about the game and that's what they're looking forward to.

And if we are to be successful that would represent a great week, wouldn't it?

It's the sort of stuff that books are written about. You couldn't make it up, the two fixtures coming so quickly. But, you know, then we'll move on again won't we? We'll have Wolves on Tuesday and then we'll have another game the week after. But yes, to top off the week with a win against Manchester United would be something pretty special, I think.