Changes to the FA Cup?

[Super_horns]

FA thinking of turning FA Cup into a mid-week competition without replays like the cups in Europe.

The FA Cup could become a midweek competition with no replays under plans being discussed by the Football Association and Premier League clubs.

Two-legged League Cup semi-finals may also be scrapped with the aim of reducing fixture congestion and improving the performances of English clubs in Europe and the England team.

No decision has been made over what would be one of the biggest shake-ups of the domestic calendar for years but there is a growing consensus that the calendar needs to be reduced.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...come-midweek-competition-with-no-replays.html

Always likely to happen given the complaints of clubs (sometimes not even the big boys) about the number of games but could damage revenue for those in the lower leagues who might rely on a money spinning replay.

And of course fans having to travel in mid-week might not be ideal but then they won't be thought about in discussions like this.

 

[blademan89]

FA thinking of turning FA Cup into a mid-week competition without replays like the cups in Europe.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...come-midweek-competition-with-no-replays.html

Always likely to happen given the complaints of clubs (sometimes not even the big boys) about the number of games but could damage revenue for those in the lower leagues who might rely on a money spinning replay.

And of course fans having to travel in mid-week might not be ideal but then they won't be thought about in discussions like this.

This will happen eventually but they dont help themselves with the dates they play the fixtures. The 3rd round is straight after everyone had the busy xmas schedule, the 4th round was put in where there was prem league games the following midweek, the 5th round is placed in between champs league fixtures and then they go and wonder why teams dont play full strength sides when for example they make city play away at chelsea on the sunday just for tv reasons before they play kiev away in the midweek.

 

[SUTSS]

It is about time they got rid of replays. Bar the odd occasion when a small club can get one away to a big club there really isn't anyone that wants them.

Not convinced that making them midweek will do anything for the competition though.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Replays a good idea, midweek a bad idea.

1st round Saturday and 3rd round Saturday are 2 of the key dates in the English football calendar, it would be criminal to remove both just because a bunch of foreign managers come over moaning as its not like their beloved Spain or Italy etc, etc.

If anyone at the FA is stupid enough to think these sort've ideas will A: Change top flight managers shoving youth/reserve sides out and B: Magically turn a crap England team into a good one.............they are going to get a shock.

the English game international wise is b*ggered regardless due to the set-up of the top flight, is nothing they can do on that front, and FA Cup wise managers from top 2 divisions will always class it as a 2nd/3rd choice thing and be half hearted.

the easiest way to cut down fixtures is Euro competitions going to knock-outs and international competitions being knock-outs so they remove the endless dragging of mass group games...........won't happen due to money being the key aspect of football thesedays.

 

[Destruction]

Why is this a discussion between the FA and the Premier League? What about the other hundreds of football clubs in the country?

I'd rather they scrapped the Premier League personally.

 

[DarkSithLord]

This just represent all that is wrong with Football nowadays. Do the FA realise that FOOTBALL EXISTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR BELOVED PREMIER FUCKING LEAGUE?

Sory for the caps but this reallly fucks me off!

 

[AnkleBiter]

Get rid of replays and extra time, but midweek... fuck me, that really would kill it.

 

[Murphy]

Don't even have the energy to bother forming a serious reply to this article.

 

[Super_horns]

This just represent all that is wrong with Football nowadays. Do the FA realise that FOOTBALL EXISTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR BELOVED PREMIER FUCKING LEAGUE?

Sory for the caps but this reallly fucks me off!

The FA is control/powered by the Premier league really.

FA only really have the main say in England matters.

 

[rudebwoyben]

This is a terrible idea all-round.

 

[GFC4EVA]

typical of the fa and the premier league, never thinking about lower league or non league clubs, a replay for a small club at the likes of old Trafford can help a club for years, I think it was Exeter who m anaged to build on a trip to man utd and it helped them push on a return to the football league.

Fuck the fa and fuck the premier league

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

It is about time they got rid of replays. Bar the odd occasion when a small club can get one away to a big club there really isn't anyone that wants them.

Not convinced that making them midweek will do anything for the competition though.

It's not just the odd occasion though - if you're a non-league club, securing a replay against even a fairly middling league club can be quite lucrative. Hell, if you're at step three on the non-league ladder and you get a replay against one of the Conference big fish even that'll probably make a noticeable difference to the coffers!

Moving it midweek is a terrible idea and would essentially relegate it to a bit of a sideshow. Frankly, I reckon they should just shelve the League Cup instead - do we really need two domestic cup competitions?

 

[Stevencc]

It's not just the odd occasion though - if you're a non-league club, securing a replay against even a fairly middling league club can be quite lucrative. Hell, if you're at step three on the non-league ladder and you get a replay against one of the Conference big fish even that'll probably make a noticeable difference to the coffers!

Moving it midweek is a terrible idea and would essentially relegate it to a bit of a sideshow. Frankly, I reckon they should just shelve the League Cup instead - do we really need two domestic cup competitions?

Absolutely, what the hell do you expect Liverpool to challenge for if the League Cup is no more?

 

[slaphead]

This just represent all that is wrong with Football nowadays. Do the FA realise that FOOTBALL EXISTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR BELOVED PREMIER FUCKING LEAGUE?

Sory for the caps but this reallly fucks me off!

Yet you support Man Utd.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Hmm a mid week cup competition with no replays? Original idea, Why don't they change the name of it to the League Cup aswell.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Yet you support Man Utd.

Yes Man Utd not the premier League.

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

It's as if they really are trying to take the piss now, if they weren't before. Make European football into a hybrid league/cup competition from a straight knockout, then string out the fixtures to go over two weeks rather than one. Then scratch their heads that they have too much football and not enough weeks.

They may as well scrap the FA Cup if they are serious about putting it to a midweek competition.

 

[Laker]

If the Premier League want less games then maybe they should reduce the number of clubs in that division from 20 to 18? Create 4 more match spots through the season.

The FA Cup hasn't just suddenly gained more games - it's Europe which has. Don't change the whole of English football to accommodate the changes at European level.

Our home game v Man U and the replay at Old Trafford last year had a massive impact on our finances and actually put us on a sound financial footing for the first time in, well, forever. We earned that replay. It would be awful if that opportunity didn't exist for lower clubs again.

 

[Laker]

Oh and why are they considering going midweek with it? Just move more EPL games midweek. Seems a simple solution to me.

 

[shotaway]

Just make the Premiershit non relegation and the premier league can run England team with only players from that division or abroad. Ban them from the FA cup. Oh an while they are about it - qualification for Euros - same 6 teams every year no matter where they finish.

Scrap the FA or appoint people with sense.

Then we can get our football back.

 

[slaphead]

Yes Man Utd not the premier League.

If you support a Premier League team, you support the Premier League. Do you not think Utd would be one of the main drivers behind this initiative?

 

[silkyman]

You can think both. I support City and I'm pretty annoyed with the scheduling around the Chelsea / Kiev games, but the FA can go and fuck a verruca sock full of broken glass if they think screwing over the world's best knockout competition, and damaging the chances of smaller clubs to earn the few quid that might actually keep them solvent is a good idea.

As I saw on Twitter earlier. If bigger clubs (a relative term... Conference sides are 'big clubs' if it's a level nine/10 side who draw them) don't want a replay, they should play better in the first game.

 

[dannylad01]

This will happen eventually but they dont help themselves with the dates they play the fixtures. The 3rd round is straight after everyone had the busy xmas schedule, the 4th round was put in where there was prem league games the following midweek, the 5th round is placed in between champs league fixtures and then they go and wonder why teams dont play full strength sides when for example they make city play away at chelsea on the sunday just for tv reasons before they play kiev away in the midweek.

I may be wrong, but haven't the FA Cup dates been the same for years? 3rd round the first full week in the new year and then each round every 3 weeks thereafter? The Premier league have put their midweek fixture in since then, and now the protracted Champions League last 16 and Europa league last 32 have just added to the problem.

 

[dannylad01]

It's sad that the mid table premier league teams and championship clubs see the cup as an inconvenience nowadays. As has been said above, if you don't want a replay, go out and win the game in the first place!

 

[Matt_]

I'm getting sick and tired of Premiership clubs, and even some Championship clubs, playing weakened teams in the FA Cup and whining about fixture congestion.

FFS! Premiership teams only play 38 games these days. Back in the day Division 1 clubs used to play 42 games, compete in Europe and contend with cup replays right through to the FA Cup final and League Cup final. All with much smaller squads. There were many instances of clubs winning domestic and European competitions and using only 15-16 players throughout the entire season.

Modern players are supposed to be fitter than ever thanks to advances in sports science, diet etc, but it seems the poor pampered darlings can't cope with three games in a week, it's utterly pathetic!

 

[Super_horns]

Pellegrini is going to have quite a bit of pressure on him (even more than usual) for Wednesday's game.

They claim its not the playing the games but the travelling but I am sure the Man City players are well catered for!

 

[silkyman]

It was the travelling, the recuperation time (getting on a flight straight after a game isn't ideal, whether it's first class or not) but as much as anything it was the injury list.

Reports are that City currently have 13 established first team players fit. Three games and two five hour flights in eight days would be a bit of a stretch. For all the moans and groans, if Kompany and Aguero had both ended up limping off on Sunday, it would have been more than just the FA Cup fucked over.

Arsenal did exactly the same thing with one eye on Barca. But they didn't have so many injuries so an almost full team change was doable.

 

[Jarv]

This will happen eventually but they dont help themselves with the dates they play the fixtures. The 3rd round is straight after everyone had the busy xmas schedule, the 4th round was put in where there was prem league games the following midweek, the 5th round is placed in between champs league fixtures and then they go and wonder why teams dont play full strength sides when for example they make city play away at chelsea on the sunday just for tv reasons before they play kiev away in the midweek.

It was the travelling, the recuperation time (getting on a flight straight after a game isn't ideal, whether it's first class or not) but as much as anything it was the injury list.

Reports are that City currently have 13 established first team players fit. Three games and two five hour flights in eight days would be a bit of a stretch. For all the moans and groans, if Kompany and Aguero had both ended up limping off on Sunday, it would have been more than just the FA Cup fucked over.

Arsenal did exactly the same thing with one eye on Barca. But they didn't have so many injuries so an almost full team change was doable.

City have 7 according to Physioroom. one of which is Fabian delph apparently although i think that should say retired.

 

[Jarv]

If clubs aren't good enough to win in the 1st game then they shouldn't be helped by losing the extra game at the expense of smaller clubs. The FA cup just needs bringing forward a bit and instead of putting the prem games in straight after the 3rd and 4th rounds, play them early on in the season.

 

[silkyman]

City have 7 according to Physioroom. one of which is Fabian delph apparently although i think that should say retired.

Ahahaha. And he's a snake too, amirite!

13 was what was being reported. Perhaps it was 13 outfield. But even then, with a 25 man squad, minus three 'keepers, it's still pretty much the bare bones.