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Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has national coach Leo Beenhakker's blessing to skip international duty against Peru on May 10 to represent West Ham in the English FA Cup final on May 13 at Wales' Millennium Stadium.


Hislop, who has featured primarily as back-up goalkeeper under Beenhakker, was delighted to receive a message of congratulations from the Dutchman after West Ham edged Middlesbrough 1-0 in the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday at Villa Park, Birmingham.

Beenhakker also informed the six-foot-five custodian that he is excused from the national set-up to represent West Ham in the prestigious competition.

"When I got home (on Sunday)," said Hislop, "I got an e-mail from Beenhakker congratulating me on my success and asking me to join up with the team on May 15 or 16 in Manchester (after the Peru match)." The fixture overlap did leave a bittersweet feeling for Hislop as he admitted that he might not get another chance to represent Trinidad and Tobago at home.

"I was looking forward to coming back and playing in front my home fans," said Hislop, whose last home fixture was on October 12, 2005 as a substitute in T&T's crucial 2-1 qualifying win over Mexico.

"And even more so because it might be my last game in front of them. I was not able to return with the team after (T&T's World Cup qualification in) Bahrain because I could not neglect my professional responsibilities.

"I am really disappointed to miss out again but my professional responsibilities dictate as such." A FA Cup final date is no shabby consolation prize, though, and Hislop cannot wait to lock horns with last season's European club champions, Liverpool.

"Liverpool and West Ham are two clubs with fantastic tradition," he said, "and tradition is what the FA Cup is all about We feel that, on our day, we can give anybody a game and just playing in the final is motivation enough for anybody. We go in the final as underdogs but I think that is better for us and all the pressure will be on Liverpool." Hislop went to the FA Cup final once before with Newcastle, during the 1997-98 season but was understudy to Shay Given in a 2-0 loss to Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.

The prestigious tournament-the world's oldest competition, dating back to 1872-has been held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, since 2001 when Wembley was torn down for renovations.

Hislop never played at the Millennium Stadium, a ground reserved for Cup finals and internationals, and did not expect that to change this season after joining newly-promoted West Ham as back-up for Republic of Ireland international Roy Carroll.

An injury to Carroll early this year gave Hislop his break and the former St Mary's College pupil saved in every round of the Hammer's FA Cup adventure.

"Many people expected us to go right back down (to England's League Championship division)," said Hislop, "but here we are challenging for one of the biggest prizes in English competition. I think it is a fantastic achievement for a team that just came out of the Championship." Hislop was proud to point out that West Ham did not sneak into the final but got there by beating five Premiership opponents, while they survived a replay with Bolton.

West Ham's Cup run has so intoxicated the players that, he admitted, their league form dipped slightly. The East London club now occupy tenth place in the 20-team table, although they were as high as sixth at one point.

"The FA Cup is a very special competition because league form has little to do with it," he said. "Against Bolton, we lost heavily 4-1 in the league and beat them in the Cup a few days later and it was the same with Middlesbrough. It is a special game that brings the best out of players.

"I think I have acquitted myself well in the Cup this season."