WHOEVER collects the Coca-Cola Cup, or the other major honours at the end of the season, Wimbledon boss Joe Kinnear would still be a popular choice as manager of the season, writes PETER WHITE.

But it's an accolade the determined Dubliner will have to earn the hard way - especially after Tuesday night's heartbreaker when the Dons fell one step from Wembley in the lesser of the two major knockout tournaments.

Going out of the Coca-Cola competition to Leicester on away goals was a cruel blow for a club which, until midweek, had been fighting for honours on three fronts.

And it leaves Kinnear with a new and different challenge, raising the spirits of the Crazy Gang after being, for once, on the wrong end of an upset.

"I know it's not going to be easy but we have to pick ourselves up and get this out of our system, so that we can go on and get what we deserve," said Kinnear.

"We have still got two chances of Europe, the League and the FA Cup, and we certainly deserve to get there through one of them.

"I just feel for the players because they're devastated.

"It's a bitter pill to swallow for all of us and I won't even try to hide it. I'm just proud of the way we played."

The football public will be watching closely to see how they react to that setback against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood tomorrow.

For Wimbledon have had done unto them what they have done so many times to others - spoiled the party.

But such is Kinnear's reputation at Selhurst Park, he will be confident he can rally his troops and inject fresh energy into tired legs as they approach their 42nd game of the season and their ninth in the last 29 days.

His biggest fan is the man who matters most, Dons' benefactor and owner Sam Hammam.

"One day, people will want to look and analyse things, and then realise how special Joe and his reign have been," said Hammam.

"I just hope he gets the credit and is named manager of the season, because I would love that to happen.

"Joe is a pal. I know that technically he's just the manager, but he's more than that to me.

"He is part of this club and part of me and I'm just so delighted for him to be getting the attention he deserves." Kinnear has already claimed one award this season, the Sky Sports Manager of the Year prize.

And his team are capable of adding to that in both the FA Cup and with a highest-ever place in the Premiership.

Hammam readily pays tribute to all the managers who have helped turn the Wimbledon fairytale into reality over the past 20 years.

But Kinnear has the opportunity - earned and deserved - to take the Dons boldly to new frontiers.

"Every manager we've had has helped this club, and we've built on all of their achievements brick-by-brick to reach this stage," said Hammam.

"And now we have Joe, with his sense of tactical awareness, his true sense of loyalty.

"He's built on everything else we've achieved."

One of Kinnear's greatest successes has been to oversee the continuing success of the club's prolific youth scheme.

But he has also helped a player like midfield dynamo Robbie Earle fight his way to the fringe of the England squad for the first time - at the age of 32!

Earle was actually signed by ex-Rovers boss Ray Harford from Port Vale, and Wimbledon will thank him for that.

It is Kinnear, however, who has been in charge for the vast majority of the midfielder's time with the Dons.

Earle is a typical Wimbledon player, a man who puts the team ethic first, works his socks off and also has much more ability than many people - at least in the past - have been prepared to acknowledge.

He is challenging Marcus Gayle and Efan Ekoku to finish as the club's leading scorer this season and that would be a remarkable achievement for a midfield player in competition with two strikers of such quality.

Earle also has another target in his sights as he looks forward to the FA Cup semi-finals and a game against Chelsea.

He has scored in every round of the FA Cup so far and, despite the heavy workload, believes the Dons are up to it.

"It's better to play more games than less because it means you're doing well. You will never catch any of us moaning about it," he said.

"We know we are a good side."

Earle and his team-mates have nothing to prove in that respect.

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