Scrap the League Cup this would free up midweek fixture slots earlier on in the season for league games, Spain, Germany & Italy don't have a second domestic cup competition. Keep The FA Cup as it is.
This. Amalgamate the league cup and Johnstone paints trophy, and have it for league clubs only with a Wembley final. Keep the FA Cup on Saturdays and replays for reasons already mentioned.
Either that or man u, man city, Liverpool and arsenal sod off to the euro league!
I've said for a number of years if you want the competition to be taken seriously by the so called bigger clubs make it so the winner gets the champions league spot rather than 4th in the Prem.
It will help the cup move with the times, as that 4th spot is somewhat seen as a cup win now.
Hardly the stuff of champions...
By definition, neither is qualifying for the Champions League as a result of finishing 2nd, 3rd or 4th.
Of course not, no. But it's a hell of a lot more demanding to finish in those positions than to win the FA Cup.
I don't think the competition can ever be restored to its former glory.
Premier League clubs fearful for their league status will continue to put out weakened teams.
Championship clubs fearful that their chance of getting into the Premier League will go down the pan, will continue to put out weakened teams.
Modern football fans seem to be under the spell of the Champions League and couldn't give a fuck about the FA Cup.
Most League clubs and many non-league clubs have near perfect pitches, so the bigger clubs feel nicely at home even when they are drawn away.
All or mostly seated stadia means the atmosphere is diluted even at the smaller grounds. Again, making it nice and comfortable for the bigger clubs.
So many games at Wembley these days (including semis and JPT), means the Final doesn't seem at all special to the neutral. If Chelsea or Tottenham move there, this will only get worse.
The new Wembley is just like a big version of a soulless Premier League ground. It's shite.
In summary....The FA have fucked their flagship tournament through their own "furtherment" of the game. The FA Cup has become more about the smaller teams having a run than anything else. Once the last non-league club is out, they might as well stop the tournament and have another three group stages of the Europa Cup or some such bollocks.
If everyone cancelled their Sky Sports and BT subscriptions tomorrow the problems of modern football would all but disappear by tea time. (Although the players would probably just bugger off to China)
If everyone cancelled their Sky Sports and BT subscriptions tomorrow the problems of modern football would all but disappear by tea time. (Although the players would probably just bugger off to China)
Might have been the case a few years back, but the overseas TV money now beats the domestic TV cash, sadly.
The Premier League is the problem, not the FA Cup. Cut the Premier League down to 16 or 18 teams if the poor little darlings are finding the cups too much effort.
Of course, the reason we have such a crowded fixture list is because of the ridiculous number of games that you have to play to progress through the Champions League. You used to play 5 games to get to the final of the European Cup, you now have to play 6 just to get to the last 16. Don't hear Arsene and co suggesting they revert to a leaner Champions League though.
A solution would be to remove home and away ties in European competitions, but play one replay if it's a draw, same as the FA Cup. Removes any complaints about away goals and the impact they have on tactics in the knockout stage. Split gate revenue the same as the Cup.
Groups could be increased to 5 teams to ensure each club plays two away and two home matches.
Or could scrap the Champions League group stage, replace it with one round of knockout, back to European Cup style
1.Easy draw for Palace so they're probably off to Wembley. How much worse can this season get?!
2. Arsenal/Hull vs Watford. "A trip to the Emirates" for Watford, according to Mark Chapman. "Yet another home draw for Arsenal" according to Lineker, before saying "...or Hull" as a giggling after thought. Dickheads. Very disrespectful to Hull.
The replay of “urinate gate” is Tuesday 6th September as @bandlfc make the trip back to The Playing Fields in the @EmiratesFACupAfter an unusual red card in the first tie (possibly a first) we are looking for a match sponsor. Plumbers or portaloo companies, take advantage!
Comments
Either that or man u, man city, Liverpool and arsenal sod off to the euro league!
Premier League clubs fearful for their league status will continue to put out weakened teams.
Championship clubs fearful that their chance of getting into the Premier League will go down the pan, will continue to put out weakened teams.
Modern football fans seem to be under the spell of the Champions League and couldn't give a fuck about the FA Cup.
Most League clubs and many non-league clubs have near perfect pitches, so the bigger clubs feel nicely at home even when they are drawn away.
All or mostly seated stadia means the atmosphere is diluted even at the smaller grounds. Again, making it nice and comfortable for the bigger clubs.
So many games at Wembley these days (including semis and JPT), means the Final doesn't seem at all special to the neutral. If Chelsea or Tottenham move there, this will only get worse.
The new Wembley is just like a big version of a soulless Premier League ground. It's shite.
In summary....The FA have fucked their flagship tournament through their own "furtherment" of the game. The FA Cup has become more about the smaller teams having a run than anything else. Once the last non-league club is out, they might as well stop the tournament and have another three group stages of the Europa Cup or some such bollocks.
The Premier League is the problem, not the FA Cup. Cut the Premier League down to 16 or 18 teams if the poor little darlings are finding the cups too much effort.
Groups could be increased to 5 teams to ensure each club plays two away and two home matches.
Or could scrap the Champions League group stage, replace it with one round of knockout, back to European Cup style
1.Easy draw for Palace so they're probably off to Wembley. How much worse can this season get?!
2. Arsenal/Hull vs Watford. "A trip to the Emirates" for Watford, according to Mark Chapman. "Yet another home draw for Arsenal" according to Lineker, before saying "...or Hull" as a giggling after thought. Dickheads. Very disrespectful to Hull.
FA Cup: Blackfield & Langley FC goalkeeper sent off for urinating in a hedge
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62783917
make the trip back to The Playing Fields in the @EmiratesFACupAfter an unusual red card in the first tie (possibly a first) we are looking for a match sponsor. Plumbers or portaloo companies, take advantage!