Graham Potter can argue to the contrary, but he simply did not take the FA Cup seriously and paid the price as Brighton were dumped out by Sheffield Wednesday.
Adam Reach got the goal after a well-worked free-kick was hammered home in front of a packed out away support and in the end it was no less than they deserved. How Brighton missed the craft of Aaron Mooy or the leadership of Lewis Dunk.
While the away fans chanted about 'the greatest team that the world has ever seen' this was a winnable tie for Potter and his players, an opportunity missed.
For all his insistence in the build-up, Potter clearly has bigger priorities and described the visit of Sheffield Wednesday as a 'break' in his programme notes. For a side that reached the semi-finals last season, it seemed odd not to target another deep run.
Sheffield Wednesday made six changes of their own, granted, but their fringe players took the chance given to them. For Brighton, few of the new faces put in a strong case for regular minutes.
It was a 'break' for seven of those Brighton players who started the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on New Year's Day. Only Adam Webster, Steven Alzate, Yves Bissouma and Neal Maupay survived the shake-up.
There was an air of optimism on the way to the ground for the home fans. After all, they had only been knocked out in the FA Cup third round once in the 2010 decade, away at Hull City in 2015-16. Kick-starting a new decade would surely follow a similar pattern? Or so they thought.
Optimism quickly evaporated after an opening 45 minutes left some home fans joking of going home at the break, so poor was the quality on show.
Maupay had the chance of the half when Pascal Gross' long through ball over the top found the striker, who did brilliantly to beat the offside trap, and he went round an onrushing Cameron Dawson.
The Wednesday goalkeeper was exposed having committed to the challenge but fortunately for him, and manager Monk, Dominic Iorfa had made up ground to make the challenge and preserve the clean sheet.
Potter's frustration grew thereafter. Maupay was the biggest threat and he went close again after he robbed Iorfa of possession on the touchline near the away fans. His low drive was from a tight angle and was comfortably saved by Dawson.
And so at half-time, the groans were loud and in fairness, not misplaced. Potter ditched his back three to introduce young striker Aaron Connolly and while it was anticipated the Premier League side would then start to seize the advantage, it transpired to be quite the opposite.
Wednesday found more space with the change of shape for Brighton with Jacob Murphy and Reach causing havoc wide of striker Steven Fletcher, who was forced off with a serious knee injury early in the second half.
And the goal, scored in front of a raucous away support, was no less than Monk's side deserved. A free-kick on the edge of the area was rolled by substitute Sam Winnall into the path of Reach who, with the help of a deflection, rifled it into the bottom corner for 1-0.
The silence from the home support was deafening. They simply don't trip up in the third round, especially not at home.
On came man of the moment Alireza Jahanbakhsh and he almost mirrored his spectacular overhead kick against Chelsea to equalise here; a matter of inches over. But that was as good as it got by way of response.
Ultimately, Potter simply couldn't grasp the magic. And it is not often we get to say that.
