Wise famously held The Cup aloft as a 21-year-old when he won it with Wimbledon in 1988, before two Final victories with Chelsea.

And Cahill believes the double act of Wise and his assistant Ray Wilkins is the perfect combination if Millwall are to pull off one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition.

He said: "Wisey's a legend. He's a kid at heart, but he's a man when it comes down to it, and shows aggression and passion.

"He wears the Millwall badge on his sleeve. He's very infectious with the young lads and can get the best out of you.

"Dennis has won three out of four FA Cups, so the experience is there on his part."

When Wise arrived at Millwall at the beginning of last season after being released from Leicester, Cahill and his team- mates approached him with trepidation.

But any worries they had were soon dispelled when they saw what he could do on the training pitch.

Cahill added: "When he came at the beginning of last season, we were a little nervous but at the same time it made us all excited. Because whether he was going to be good or not, we would be playing with him - and we knew what he had done in his career.

"Everyone said he isn't going to cut it as a manager, but he's taken us this far.

"And with Ray behind him he gets that extra bit of stabilisation. Wisey can go off and be crazy with the lads while Ray stands in the background.

"Under these two people we are very lucky to have a couple of people who have been there before.

"He's still the worst for practical jokes. He's a stitch-up man. He's one of us, and that's all that matters. He sometimes tells us off, but afterwards he will be your mate."

Australian international Cahill grew up in Sydney idolising Manchester United Cup heroes such as Bryan Robson and Eric Cantona - and even got time off school to watch the Final.

But he insists he will not be overawed by the team he supported as a boy when they go head to head at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday - but is under no illusions as to who he is up against.

He added: "I don't need to be told twice about The FA Cup. I used to stay up in the early hours, then take the day off school and watch it again.

"I supported Manchester United all day. We used to mimic them in the back garden. I was always Man United - Eric Cantona was a legend.

"But you want to be all of them. Bryan Robson and people like that were legends.

"Hopefully we can get a shot on goal. People say they are vulnerable at the back, but they can get themselves out of trouble.

"We are going to try and punish them but you can't take advantage of their faults, because they aren't the biggest in the world - not compared to ours."