The curse of money and the Premiership

[Wullie]

I just text a mate of mine to say well done Sunderland for yet another cup win, the best run of cup results in the clubs history. His reply sadly says everything about the game today.
" Nightmare , more fixture pile ups. I am very worried now about Premiership survival. We really could have done with losing today ".
As a pathetic crowd of 16,000 only turned up, I guess more fans must be thinking the same. It really is all very sad.

[foxes1]

Wullie wrote:

I just text a mate of mine to say well done Sunderland for yet another cup win, the best run of cup results in the clubs history. His reply sadly says everything about the game today. " Nightmare , more fixture pile ups. I am very worried now about Premiership survival. We really could have done with losing today ". As a pathetic crowd of 16,000 only turned up, I guess more fans must be thinking the same. It really is all very sad.

Not a bad crowd to see two teams of reserves play each other.

[Auchinleckian]

A far, far, cry from 1973 though. Premiershite, they bring it all on themselves and deserve whatever they get for demeaning the greatest cup competition in the world - after the Scottish Junior Cup, of course!

[derby1884]

But how can the Cup's tradition mean anything when so many of the players, managers and, especially, club owners are from outwith these shores?

That's not meant to sound like a line from a UKIP manifesto - just an observation based on what I see and hear.

Doesn't help that this weekend's 8 games are staggered over 3 days either.
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derby1884/sets/

[Wullie]

Look at Arsenal. They got a Champions league game on Wednesday. They play a second string team. Liverpool , not in Europe play their strongest team. What a absolute farce , and they expect fans to folk out £60 plus to watch. This prioritising of games is all about what gives the best return for MONEY. It is killing the game. 16,000 for a 5th round tie speaks volumes.

[Auchinleckian]

Get yourself a non league side Wullie and forget all about Sunderland. I've never looked back since I started watching the non league game where it's pride that counts, not money (most of the time, anyway)

[Tynie Topics]

Both Man City and Chelsea played full strength sides today.
_________________
https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[Wullie]

Tynie Topics wrote:

Both Man City and Chelsea played full strength sides today.

Their second teams are full strength to most other clubs
Some managers seem obsessed with resting "star" players more than others.
I never see the logic of if. Liverpool in the 70s won almost everything in sight with the same 12 players every week.
Surely if you play more games then you just reduce training sessions ?

[Auchinleckian]

Same argument as central contracts in Test Cricket. Why on earth do they deny the top batsmen and bowlers the opportunity to get into a rich seam of form? Ludicrous. Watch Kevin Pietersen this summer.

[Tynie Topics]

Wullie wrote:

I never see the logic of if. Liverpool in the 70s won almost everything in sight with the same 12 players every week. Surely if you play more games then you just reduce training sessions ?

I agree to an extent, en-masse.

That said, my dad tells me that Hearts used to "rest" their younger players in the 50's, guys like Alec "Golden Vision" Young. He was obviously very talented but didn't play every week.
_________________
https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[2.718]

Fans spent all their money on going to Wembley.

[pompeypete]

2.718 wrote:

Fans spent all their money on going to Wembley.

Quite right but what has the club done to help them.......

20,000 fans at £80 = 1.6 million

peanuts to the premiership clubs

OK it could be 40,000 but the club could pay half.......What a PR coup that could be.......or perhaps give a free ticket to the 16,000 who turned up yesterday to watch Southampton Reserves.

Even Pompey nearly had 16,000 yesterday against Wimbledon !!!!

The FAC is dead to most teams, too scared of relegation & the money that goes with it.
_________________
RESPECT..................

Flickr pages in the process of closing......

Happy to forward any info on Pompey...

[foxes1]

The F A Cup means nothing to a lot of clubs these days, even my club Leicester City made 6 changes for our game at Stoke in the 3rd Rd, reason being the owners (Yes they are foreign) want us in the Premiership which unfortunately is where the money is now. Mind you we will only probably be in it for season before coming down.

[sydenham hill]

I totally agree Pompeypete, since the introduction of the premier league and Sky Sports the F A Cup has suffered terribly, the only thing that matters now is survival or a top four place, even the lower league teams are more concerned with promotion than a good cup run, i am of an age when the F A cup was the only live game on the telly, and whether your team got to the final or not, you would sit in front of the telly all day to watch the build up. Sadly today nothing else matters, but to finish in that coveted place of fourth from bottom, maybe the premier league should introduce a trophy, to celebrate staying on the gravy train for another season, at least i`ve got the past to look back on and enjoy, i don`t really care anymore about the future

[BAZZABAGGIES]

33 Appearances NO GOALS managed to get 3 million off the Baggies and he wants a pat on the back for donating his pots and pans to charity.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

http://www.birminghammail.co.u.....us-6709392

[bisphamseasider]

BAZZABAGGIES wrote:

33 Appearances NO GOALS managed to get 3 million off the Baggies and he wants a pat on the back for donating his pots and pans to charity. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR http://www.birminghammail.co.u.....us-6709392

I am sure he has not done it for a pat on the back.

[bisphamseasider]

The curse of money and the Premiership regarding Blackpool is that most of it has been trousered by the owners and we have to try and survive on loan deals and scraps mostly from the lower divisions.

[pompeypete]

Just tuned in to watch Everton v Swansea

Swansea .....6 changes to team

Not worth watching now......

So they couldn't give a fig to the FAC, another 2 fingers up to one of our finest competitions.
_________________
RESPECT..................

Flickr pages in the process of closing......

Happy to forward any info on Pompey...

[Auchinleckian]

As far as Premiership teams are now concerned the FAC is now regarded as the Fuck All Cup.

[sharrowblade]

Wullie wrote:

I just text a mate of mine to say well done Sunderland for yet another cup win, the best run of cup results in the clubs history. His reply sadly says everything about the game today. " Nightmare , more fixture pile ups. I am very worried now about Premiership survival. We really could have done with losing today ". As a pathetic crowd of 16,000 only turned up, I guess more fans must be thinking the same. It really is all very sad.

Agreed Wullie, however its just not the premiership clubs this afflicts.

Down here, at Sheffield United, there's been a large number of supporters since the 1st Rd at Colchester wanting us to lose because of our league position.

It is sad, in a very poor season, (we may well get relegated) the cup has provided the only three highlights (Villa, Fulham and yesterday).

However, unlikely as it appeared at the beginning of November, full credit to Cloughie, and the players for treating the competition with all due respect and now they have their reward, a potential tie against our porcine friends from across the City.

I wonder how many of our supporters who have lambasted the cup this season will be wanting a ticket for that one.
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide