The FA Cup 2013-14

Discussion in 'Prem talk, Those Other Leagues, and International' started by jumpkutz, Feb 15, 2014.

  1. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    Sunderland beat the Saints today 1-nil at the Stadium of LIght. Lots of empty seats. Our demise at CC vs. Sheff U was also lightly attended. The squads most skippers put out for these fixtures plus the relative supporter indifference would suggest that this competition is in serious trouble. Not to mention that the FA is having trouble finding someone to succeed Budweiser as the primary corporate sponsor.
    What to do, sports fans? Is this thing worth saving? If so, what about the Capital One/Carling League Cup?
    Also hearing rumblings that the Europa should go away.

    I honestly don't know what to think about all these concurrently running competitions. It's damn confusing to a newbie like me, and I don't really understand the corporate mindset on this. It would seem the saturation point has long since passed.

    Thoughts, ladies and germs?
     
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  2. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    There was a time not that long ago when the FA Cup was bigger than the league. when I first got into football in the late 60s, I picked up a football annual that had all kinds of data -- including record crowds. About 2/3rds of the grounds listed had their highest attendances in FA Cup matches. That's certainly not the case today. I'd say the Champions League is the prime villain in terms of television coverage, but a lot of it is the cost of football. It used to cost me the equivalent of about $1.20 to get into the football ground in the late 60s/early 70s, and the cost of a pint of beer was about 50 cents. Everything costs much more now, and since season tickets often don't include cup matches ... .

    As for Europe, there used to be 3 cup competitions -- all of them knockout. The European Cup was for league champions only. The Cup-Winners-Cup was for those who won their respective FA and League Cups, and the Fairs Cup -- later the UEFA Cup -- was for teams that finished high but won nothing. The Cup-Winners-Cup included the winners of the Welsh Cup, which meant that 4th division Swansea or 2nd division Cardiff got into Europe every year.

    The thing is, the home-and-home knockout competition from the beginning meant that it took up less of the domestic schedule than it does now. The Champions League has really screwed the pooch. Even the worst teams in the competition play 6 games.

    With Sunderland's FA Cup history, the thought of a 5th round home time not drawing a huge crowd is disappointing, but that's the way things are now.

    Sorry to rattle on. I'm just glad I can read the damn site again. It's been a while.
     
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  3. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

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    Nov 20, 2006
    I feel like the conversation comes up every year with the same inquiry but no actual reform. I personally don't care about this competition because the clubs, players, governing bodies, and TV channels don't care about it either.

    Overall, no one cares about the FA Cup because of money and timing.

    There's not enough money provided if you win. There's not enough money to make sure its more worthwhile than your league place.

    It's not included in most, if not all, clubs' season ticket plans, so fans don't pay for it as HD said. Likewise, TV Channels always air the Big 5, regardless of their opponent, so fans can't watch it.

    It comes after the busy holiday season so managers are openly resting their starters.

    The bulk of it occurs toward the end of the season when managers are more interested in survival so they openly rest their starters.

    And on and on and on.

    The only people that care about the FA Cup are pundits who write their annual "where'd the magic go?", and former players/pundits that think sporting events that occurred 30-40 years ago are still relevant and thus should dictate current trends.
     
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  4. WestchesterWhite

    WestchesterWhite New Member

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    Westchester County, NY
    The FA Cup is an amazing competition.
    For me, it will never lose its nostalgia or significance.
    Don't really care about the League Cup.
    It's become irrelevant.
     
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  5. tim

    tim Active Member

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    Los Angeles
    It may just be a recalibration of how we view the competition. If we stop kidding ourselves, pretending it's an important competition, I do think there's still a place for it. For the big clubs, it's a chance to give younger or fringe players some competitive time on the pitch, and for the smaller clubs, it's a chance to gain some much needed recognition, not to mention the cash that can accompany a tie against a big Prem side. So sure, let's dispense with the nostalgia and mythologizing.

    Also worth noting that our collective opinion of the competition is probably colored by our current situation, but if we are relegated, wouldn't we relish a chance to play a top club?
     
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  6. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Don't get me wrong. I am a huge fan of the FA Cup. I'm disgusted every time we bomb out of it like we did this season. Why? Because it's our only way to get to Europe. We're never going to finish in the top four.
     
    #6
  7. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    #7
  8. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    I think you'll find out that Hull also has plans. You can't do a pride through a large urban area without some advance planning. It's like having NBA Champions tee-shirts made before game 7 begins.

    I'll be rooting for Arsenal. I like Hull's football and have a lot of time for Steve Bruce, but I'm SOOOOOOO weary of Fulham supporters on other sites gloating over Arsenal's failure to win any trophies in the last half-dozen or so seasons. This, despite the fact that to my knowledge, the only trophies Fulham ever won were by finishing first in lower leagues. These guys giggle at Wenger like he's a failure, despite the Gunners qualifying for the UCL for -- what -- 18 years in a row?
     
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  9. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    I'll agree that Monsieur Wenger gets a lot of disrespect from all over, even his own supporters, but I can't fathom the lack of discretion on the part of somebody allowing something that egregious to get out. T-shirts are one thing. Buses are another. And us Fulham supporters have no room to talk trash about anybody, especially a club that's never been relegated. I'll stick with the underdogs.
     
    #9
  10. tslyon

    tslyon Member

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    And the underdogs did great today. Nothing to be ashamed of in that loss. Great match!
     
    #10
  11. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    The match was certainly a good argument AGAINST the old canard that the big clubs get better treatment from the refs. There were three legitimate penalty shouts by Arsenal that were ignored -- chief among them an intentional handball in the penalty area -- BOTH HANDS -- that should have been an immediate red card and was somehow not noticed by anyone.

    I also admired Hull's play, but after 30 minutes of Herculean effort to press Arsenal all over the pitch, they were so wacked out that only the officiating and the woodwork saved them from losing by 5 or 6.

    It doesn't always happen, but on Saturday class won out.
     
    #11
  12. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    Big props to Steve Bruce's men, and to him for not putting 11 behind the ball and playing a boring style to even the odds. I really enjoyed watching them at Wembley last month against Sheffield United. I wonder if things would have been different had Mr. Gibbs not managed to head Hull's potential 3-nil goal off the line. Or if Lee Probert had correctly awarded a goal kick instead of the corner that resulted in the equalizer. My question is why can't Fulham be more like Hull...or even better? Oh well, at least they got to use they're freakin' bus...
     
    #12
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