In my humble opinion it is the best cup competition out there and some managers should show it more respect. http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25579811 What do you think of the above comments from Lambert? I am sure he is not the only Prem manager to think like this. It is a shame and an integral part of English football. Personally, a good cup game and giant killings are great and a good break from the league. However, as the game becomes more about the league and European competitions, if your team is lucky enough, maybe the FA Cup, unfortunately, takes back stage.
I seem to recall that Wigan fans, when asked if they would swap their FA Cup win with being back in the premier league, said an emphatic no. I love the FA Cup, or at least did before it got devalued.
Very sad to read this. There was a time when crowds for the 3rd round of the cup were amongst the highest of the season. For those of us who remember those 30,000 + crowds at the Vic (All for cup matches) the demise of the cup's importance is just one of the tragedies of modern football. Personally I think that the problem stems from the Champions League - if it were only for Champions (as the old European Cup was) and there were still a European Cup Winners Cup then all of the domestic cups would have more importance.
I can see Paul Lambert's point, but he was a little naive to say it. Of course the Premiership clubs are more interested in getting into the Champions' League, staying in the Champions' League, or if they aren't good enough for that staying in the Premiership. This is the distortion of everything we understand by the increasing influence of the bigger clubs looking to become even bigger and to acquire even more money for their owners, obviously the slightly lower ranked clubs want to get to join the big boys and if that means destroying the FA Cup that is what they will do. Sod the smaller clubs.
For those living or have lived abroad: Has the version of the F.A. Cup in those respective countries also been devalued in recent years? Here I am not too sure as I have only been here 4 years...
They were talking on five live tonight.. Bottom place in prem this season gets £63 million FA Cup winner £3.5 million Thank you Sky TV for getting the ball rolling on the demise of our game...
Considering that Villa have a realistic chance of winning only 2 out of the 3 competitions that they enter each season, it seems to me to be extremely short-sighted for Lambert to say that he could do without the FA Cup. What does "... I don't want to not get through ..." mean? If he feels so strongly that way, then why enter it in the first place - there is no compulsion each season to play in the competition - every club must apply to enter (and must also apply to gain exemption for the earlier rounds - to the 3rd round proper in Villa's case). All those clubs that do not value the FA Cup (or the small amount of money they get for winning it) should refrain from entering it and give the remainder a better chance of winning it. Do not enter it and play a "weakened team". I feel that should also apply to the League Cup and, sadly, also to Watford's attitude to this particular competition. Perhaps I am being a trifle naive but that's the way I feel.
But Yorkie, is it fair to lay the blame at the door of Sky? Yes they are paying stupid amounts, but it is the FA and The Prem that are driving up the amount needed to be a successful bidder. If Sky walked away, others would bid equally stupid amounts -as BT have done for the Champions League & FA Cup from 2015. Whilst the owners of our game continue to put their own interests ahead of the overall good of the game, Internet & Media companies will bid silly amounts of money for content.
Yes I agree it is not simply Sky.... ( Thinks: BUT IT IS ALL A PLOT BY AN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL MOB LEADER TO DE STABILISE OUR SOCIETY AND THEN FILL IT WITH FOREIGNERS MAKING IT IMPOSSBILE FOR US EVER TO WIN AT CRICKET AGAIN ) .....Our game, like our society, is f'cked by our market forces economies the world has bought into.... Sky just happened to be the first successful football crooks who exploited this.. Rant over
For me, silverware is more important than money for the club. (yes the two may be interrelated) But I doubt many owners feel that way.
Ahem.... May I respectfully suggest that the scenario you fear is more than likely the only way you will ever win at cricket again?
OK, so we lost a wicket in the sixth over - still a long way to go though. Just short of four days if things go as normal...
Lambert's opinion not shared by Sannino: http://www.watfordfc.com/news/article/140104-sannino-bristol-city-preview-1272523.aspx
Although this is slightly off-topic, I did prefer it when it was numerous replays until a winner was decided instead of penalties after just one.
I suspect Lambert is worried his team will lose to Sheffield United so is getting in first with the excuses. When all is said and done it is the only hope the likes of Southampton and us have of winning something and yes the prize might be 3.5m but when you add on the European matches etc.it works out at a lot more.
On Soccer Saturday, they suggested the 3rd round shouldn't be so close to the Christmas period, there shouldn't be any replays and the clubs that have played their way into the 3rd round get the PL sides, which would mean 12 all-Championship ties.
No - it was Thompson & Merson. Mind you, the donkey (sorry, Guernseyman) Le Tissier suggested that the FA Cup winners got the place in the Champions League that currently goes to the 4th placed team.
I think the original above ideas in bold make sense but the other in italics is a bit of non-sense really, as it takes the mystery out of the cup. LeTissier's idea might well put value back into the cup!