WORKAHOLIC Wanderer Jussi Jaaskelainen has volunteered for FA Cup duty.

The Reebok keeper has grown accustomed to sitting out cup ties, particularly in the early rounds when Sam Allardyce has taken the opportunity to give fringe players a runout.

But the Finland international reckons he has had all the rest he needs this year.

Dropped for the West Brom game on New Years Day then re-instated at Birmingham on Tuesday night, he is hoping to stay in for the third round tie at Ipswich.

"Of course I want to play," Jaaskelainen said, dropping Allardyce a selection hint. "I want to play in every game. But that's the managers decision, not mine.

"He never asks me whether I want to rest or not. He just tells me."

Allardyce has never apologised for fielding weakened cup teams, despite claims from traditionalists who have accused him of showing disrespect to the knockout competitions.

He has come unstuck in the past - Wanderers suffered a 10-0 aggregate defeat in League Cup and FA Cup drubbings at Tottenham three seasons ago - but no-one could fault his strategy last season when he got the balance right, leading Wanderers to their highest league finish for 44 years and plotting a course to the Carling Cup Final. No tears were shed when they fell to Tranmere at the first hurdle of the FA Cup.

Jaaskelainen might not like it but the policy has kept him fresh enough to complete successive seasons as a Premiership ever-present. Of the 22 cup ties Wanderers have played since returning to the Premiership, Allardyce's first choice keeper has figured in just seven - three of which were the semi-finals and final of the Carling Cup.

Ironically, he has felt less in need of a rest this season than in previous campaigns, so it came as a complete surprise when Allardyce left him out for the West Brom game.

"This year is the first year I've felt really strong all the way through," he said.

"It was difficult (not playing) because I wanted to be there to try and help turn things round. I thought the performance against West Brom was good and with a bit more luck we might have won the game.

"When it's not going your way, you have to work hard and keep believing. If we can keep doing that, the lucky breaks will go our way."