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Post by grinfish on Feb 21, 2011 14:29:33 GMT 1
Its about time that the Championship , Leagues 1 & 2 and some of the lower Prem teams should break away and form the REAL FA . Then before you know it, the BlueSq and below have formed the Continuity FA, and everybody will be claiming they were the ones fighting for football. Where will the madness end?
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Post by stfcfan87 on Feb 21, 2011 14:31:40 GMT 1
Disagree with any sort of seedings, even if it is to ensure that a small team gets a big one - the point of the fa cup is that anything can happen and the unpredictable draws. If it starts getting manufactured then for me its no different to say the league cup.
Also strongly disagree with the 'scrap replays' idea. Sorry but just don't see the benefit. If its to help the big teams with their fixture congestion (e.g. arsenal), then sorry but perhaps they should play more of their first team in the initial fixture so that a replay wasn't needed in the first place.
I think there's a number of reasons why the fa cup's been suffering. Number one is money lets face it - in terms of actual prize money the fa cup doesn't compare to the premiership or the champions league - i think the winners get maybe £1.5m. So perhaps more funds or a big prize needs to be given. A champions league place is a good idea, as that would provide massive financial payment. Or for those that say that rewarding winners of a cup competition isn't comparable to a league campaign, perhaps there could be a playoff between FA Cup winners and 4th place for the champions league entry?
Another thing that's really damaged the fa cup for me is the amount of fixtures that have been moved from saturday 3pm. I know a lot of games want to get televised, and that's another point, but it's not just those games - this weekend fulham v bolton wasn't televised but for some reason it was still on a sunday at 3pm - why?? And i think in the round before it worked out that only 1 or 2 fixtures were actually played on the saturday at 3pm - I remember both the Everton v Chelsea and Swansea Orient games kicked off at saturday lunch time, why??
And why have many of the fa cup games been moved to times that make it difficult for fans to travel to? For example tonight sees Burnley v West Ham. Would have been much easier if that game had to be televised to put it on yesterday afternoon and instead put Orient Arsenal on tonight for example.
Then of course there's the fa's choice of broadcasters. They originally picked ITV and Setanta. Setanta went bust, and now it's on ESPN. Now sorry ITV's the worst of the terrestrial channels - their current coverage just screams cheap and nasty - and ESPN is the worst of the satelitte channels - I don't have it as i just can't justify paying yet more money on top of sky for what amounts to being just one match a week normally and I'm definitely not the only one in that boat as many others and many pubs are too. I know that the tv audience is a factor people might not like to consider, but the fa cup coverage over the last few years has just seemed far less accessible and not captured people's attention like it once did.
A few things though that do annoy me about the cup - why are there such limited premiership fixtures during the 5th round weekend, but a full schedule of football league? Take this weekend, only 1 premiership fixture occurred yet Villa, Blackpool, Blackburn, Liverpool, Newcastle, Spurs, Wigan all were sat with weekends off. If fixture congestion is such a problem then why aren't any of those sides getting a fixture out of the way then?
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Post by stfcfan87 on Feb 21, 2011 14:35:18 GMT 1
I think Parry was suggesting that the seeding should start at the 5th round if I recall right. His argument being that it is important for the Cup to have a final that everyone would be interested in, would want to watch, a game worthy of the final. As in, involving the top four and everything should be put in place to make this as much a formality as possible. I think it may have been lost on him that for the most part the top four do play in the final anyhows and they are normally anything but a match worthy of the final and that seeing the same clubs making it to the final makes it predictable and boring. He even suggested to supporters of clubs down the leagues that they were selfish in wanting to see their team in the Cup final because it means the best clubs are not involved (meaning it wouldn’t be the best of games). That, he said, was not for the greater good... It’s the first time I have ever caught him on the radio and the more I think about what he said the worse he came across to be honest… He might have just been trying to create an impression, but the impression he gave me (again having heard him on talksport before now) was that he was an idiot and i had to switch off. I think there were times when Savage, yes Robbie Savage, was lost for words at his comments. The other idiotic point he made was to say to the sheffield wednesday fan, was that the problems that they had been having were all down to the fans and that you get what you deserve. Now I'm sorry, that's just utterly disrespectful.
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Post by Pilch on Feb 21, 2011 15:23:04 GMT 1
In an ideal world the lowest ranked side would draw the highest at home and so on I'd be all in favour of rigging that Buy no way would it work The higher teams would simply pull out and probably rightly so
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Post by lionshrew on Feb 21, 2011 17:43:22 GMT 1
My recomendations are:
1) Stop playing the semi-finals at Wembley. Wembley should be for the final and the final only. FA Cup Semi Finals should be held at places like Old Trafford, Villa Park, Emirates Stadium, City of Manchester Stadium, Hillsborough, Elland Road, St. James Park & Stadium of Light etc. Neutral venues and Wembley should host the final and that will make the trip wembley mean more.
2) The FA should set ticket prices and give out free complimentary tickets to the local community and local schools and sunday league teams. This will increase attendance and market the FA Cup out to a younger audience. Ticket prices should be cheap because one of the reasons why there are low attendences because nearly everyone is skint.
3) Instead of giving out TV rights to the highest bidder like an auction give it out the the best television provider who can market the FA Cup in the right way like the BBC & Sky instead of ITV and the Disney channel (ESPN).
4) FA Cup final should be the last weekend of the season and not clashing with any league matches, kick off should remain Saturday at 3pm. Coverage should start at lunchtime feature the teams leaving hotel, interviewing manger and player either on the coach or at the stadium and interview fans on the tube and round Wembley and give interviews in both dressing rooms after the game.
5) Pick television games wisely and at a time to accomodate the fans example pick matches example: West Ham vs Burnley to be on at a convenient time instead of 8pm on a Monday night.
6) Ensure clubs pick at least so many first team players so fans can feel it is being taken seriously.
7) Offer Champions league spot to winners if possible or at least let them play a play-off against 4th place winner going to champions league and the loser going in to europa league. If the winning club is already in the champions league then, 4th place will automatically get champions league spot and the runner-up should get an europa league spot.
Keep replays and no to seeding.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2011 0:05:03 GMT 1
5th round, cheating barstewards is all i can say. all to favour the big 8. Champions league Spot definately for the winners. I also think that 3rd 4th 5th and 6th in the Premier league should have a play off system for the 3rd champions league spot. Just look at the revenue you would get of that, possibly more than the premier league champions themselves. The rest of europe now does this i believe. Why don't we hold a competition for all Premier League clubs, each one plays each other twice over a season, the top 4 get to play in a competition called the Champions League. Those who end up in positions 2nd to 4th still get to play in the competition, even thought ther'e Champions of sod all. Just a point, if the team wins the F.A.Cup but don't end up in the top four of the Premier League, do you think F.I.F.A. will sanction 5 teams from our country entering the Champions League. I don't think so.
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Post by stockportershrew on Feb 22, 2011 0:25:23 GMT 1
The FA Cup's been dying a slow death ever since the advent of the premier league. It tells you everything about the state of the Cup that Martinez, the Wigan manager, said the other night that he was not bothered about being knocked out. It's more important to grovel around the lower end of the premiership for a few seasons than actually try and win (or at least get to the final) a competition. I used to find it equally annoying when managers at our level didn't take it seriously (step forward Mr Peters).
If anyone wants to remind themselves of what the FA cup once was take a look at the You Tube highlights of our six round game at Wolves 30 years ago (on an absolute mudbath).
I like Lionshrews ideas but not a chance they'll be implemented far too sensible.
& another thing... note to footballing bosses if you want to kill off a competition how about the league cup and why not start with the Johnson's p**spoor trophy as well.
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Post by lionshrew on Feb 22, 2011 2:05:05 GMT 1
Another thing that's really damaged the fa cup for me is the amount of fixtures that have been moved from saturday 3pm. I know a lot of games want to get televised, and that's another point, but it's not just those games - this weekend fulham v bolton wasn't televised but for some reason it was still on a sunday at 3pm - why?? And i think in the round before it worked out that only 1 or 2 fixtures were actually played on the saturday at 3pm - I remember both the Everton v Chelsea and Swansea Orient games kicked off at saturday lunch time, why?? The reason the Fulham vs Bolton game was on Sunday is because Chelsea were playing Everton at Stamford Bridge on the Saturday in the FA Cup 4th Round Replay. So I think this was the police that made it a sunday for Fulham otherwise they'll be police 2 matches at once. The reason Everton vs Chelsea was on a Saturday lunch time is because it was live on ESPN. And Swansea City vs Leyton Orient live was on S4C which is a welsh channel.
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