What have they done to the Cup?


Winners in 2004
By Chris O'Brien
March 5 2005

The Football Association are at it again. Changes to the format of the 2005/2006 F.A Cup look set to devalue the greatest knock-out competition in the world, and could have harsh financial repercussions for England's smaller clubs. It's another smack in the face for the country's football fans.

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The greatest football competition in the world, a part of football's heritage and a tournament that every single supporter up and down the country will always have fond, unforgettable memories of - long live the F.A Challenge Cup. However, it would seem the Football Association have other ideas as the clowns at Soho Square implement new rules that make a farce of England's knock-out competition.

Under pressure from England boss Sven Goran-Eriksson to reduce the playing time of England's top players, the F.A have changed the Cup in favour of the bigger Premiership sides in a move which could have huge financial repercussions for those further down the pyramid and also tarnishes a competition with such proud tradition yet further. Changes have been made to the date of the final, but more shockingly certain clubs not having to face replays at different stages of the competition.

The plans, to come in place for the 2005-2006 F.A Cup, are as follows:

The ideas are there to help the national team, but fans across the country are not happy this is being done at the expense of the F.A Cup. Fortunately, the F.A is only planning to implement these rules for the 2005-2006 season, and hopefully that will be it. With England aiming to win the World Cup in Germany 2006, Eriksson demanded his players got a four week break between the end of the season and the start of the tournament, and also wanted to see players playing less domestic games for their respective club sides.

"This was deemed to be the only available solution to a very complex issue." read an official statement from the English F.A.

"We believe it is crucial to allow the national team to be given equal preparation time to every other team competing in Germany next summer.

"This decision follows positive talks involving the FA, Premier League and Football League to find an appropriate solution to protecting the tradition and heritage of the FA Cup, while allowing for Fifa's four-week window between the end of all major domestic seasons and the start of the World Cup."

Following abolition of final and semi-final replays in recent years, this means that next season United cannot face F.A Cup replays in the quarter-finals and onwards. Confusion will reign as teams in the Uefa Cup cannot have fifth round replays either. The whole things devalues the prestige of the greatest cup of them all. Shame on the F.A.

Two rounds of the competition will have some ties that can go to replays and some that cannot. Minnow clubs could miss out on huge financial reports from money-spinning replays, and Welsh clubs could miss out on the gains of a 5th or 6th round replay to help the English national side. It also means less televised football, and less exposure for the F.A Cup.

The advantages are there. Eriksson now has more time to prepare his England side for the World Cup finals, but after the farce of possible player strikes et al that occurred ahead of European Championships in 2004, is this necessarily a good thing? The fact is football is being run by people who think they know what they're doing, but they do not. The fans are not getting what they want, yet again, and the F.A Cup has suffered yet another setback to it's glamorous, beautiful history.