Steve Coppell and the FA Cup

[papereyes]

Ultimately, it is Coppell's decision. As a customer, well, I don't have to pay for it. That's the only protest power we have on the matter.

[readingbedding]

It would be a small crowd tomorrow even if we played a full strength side.

Obviously, but I have a feeling quite a few people are annoyed with this and will not go.

Not annoyed, just piss-poor value for money.

If it's value for money you're after, you're in the wrong game mate.

[Spirit of Elm Park]

Not annoyed, just piss-poor value for money.

I'm slightly surprised by this? I can honestly say that never have I judged a Reading game on its VFM. Its about supporting the team. But thats another discussion altogether.

[Platypuss]

You don't think that we will get nine points from our next eight games? I presume by the same token we will therefore be relegated or stay up on the middle of April.

Did you miss the disasterous New year - end of season run of 2005?

No, but you obviously fell asleep for most of it!

Kitson got injured in a league game, and we subsequently went 12 league games without a win. We then won five games out of seven to leave ourselves sitting in the playoff places with just 3 games to go.

Then we really blew it.

[skipper]

I actually look forward to these games, this is a chance to see the likes of Federici, Golbourne, maybe Hayes or a James Henry, some of the fringe players we never see in a competitive match. It shows the strength or lack of depth in the squad.

i too am looking forward to the game, wheater or not our strongest side start. im not watching becuase xyz player is playing, but becuase the royals are!

im also taking my granded - reading born n' bred - but rather bizzarly - a Burnly fan... think its to do with his roots... anyway will be a cracking day out!

[Spirit of Elm Park]

No, but you obviously fell asleep for most of it!

....and we subsequently went 12 league games without a win.

.....being most of it

[Platypuss]

It would be a small crowd tomorrow even if we played a full strength side.

Obviously, but I have a feeling quite a few people are annoyed with this and will not go.

Not annoyed, just piss-poor value for money.

If it's value for money you're after, you're in the wrong game mate.

Funnily enough I'm the sole person who gets to choose what I consider to be value for money.

[Whore Jackie]

The "devaluation" of the FA Cup has been going on for years. It's a vicious circle. The only teams realistically able to win it are the big four, who have the squad size to compete on several fronts at once.

The big four invariably finish in the top four, gain the most TV, prize and Premiership place money, qualify for the Champions League, attract the better players and sponsors and the cash bonanza continues. For a club like Reading and probably 10 others, Premiership survival is, unfortunately, the be all and end all.

There's a whole host of FA Cup winning clubs in the lower echelons of the game who would give everything to swap places with us.

[Captain Sinbad]

With Federici in goal, will we be singing A-U-S instead of U-S-A?

Just wondrin like.

That'll confuse the drummer.

[Top Flight]

OK, maybe it's time to re-vamp the FA Cup.

Here's what I would do.

1. Get rid of the League Cup.

2. Keep the FA Cup 3rd round as is in January

Now for the revolutionary bit...

No more cup games until after the league season.
The league season continues to an earlier finish - say 2nd week of April - with no Cup games to interrupt. Once the leagues are over, the FA Cup is played as a knock-out Festival of football.
5 rounds to be played over 3 to 4 weeks culminating in a Wembley Final.
I think this competition would be taken very seriously and it would bring the crowds back. Any Prem side in the 3rd round would be desperate to get into the end of season competition. They could then concentrate entirely on the League. The play-off's might get in the way a bit, but I'm sure something could be arranged.
You could even make the competition every other year to increase the cache further, and reduce player burn-out.

---
Obviously FA Cup weeks are used to rest players, particularly for clubs that are knocked out ! so there could be 1 rest week added to the league season if it was felt it was required.

I quite like this idea.

[BigSCOT]

What about bringing in a new rule saying that if you win the FA Cup you will be exempt from relegation for that season !!!

Might make a few teams take it more seriously then

The FA Cup lost a lot of it's appeal and lure to top flight clubs the day it became worth more financially to finish 17th in the top flight than to win the Cup.

[readingbedding]

It would be a small crowd tomorrow even if we played a full strength side.

Obviously, but I have a feeling quite a few people are annoyed with this and will not go.

Not annoyed, just piss-poor value for money.

If it's value for money you're after, you're in the wrong game mate.

Funnily enough I'm the sole person who gets to choose what I consider to be value for money.

Obviously.

Personally, I never really thought of a football match as value for money before I went to a match.

Usually after we lose and it's a 5 hr journey home and I'm knackered do I start moaning about that.

[Woodcote Royal]

Where does it stop though

When we're guaranteed a place in next season's Premiership................end of.

I'll be there on Saturday (unlike those who sit next to me for the rest of the season ) and, like AP, I'm looking forward to it.

I also look forward to the day when squad numbers and it's over all strength allow us to take a more take serious tilt at the cups but, right now, any manager who puts a trip to Wembley ahead of a mininum £35m TV money isn't fit to manage the club I invest much of my hard-earned to support.

But you've already said that our Premiership status is guaranteed this season.

So which is it?

Our survival is a near certainty because, amongst other things, we have a manager who won't take unnecessary risks with a tight squad that includes a number of players whose long term absence would have adverse effect on the strength of the team.

Unlike most Reading fans I know, I'm a big fan of the cups but, as others have said, our current list of priorities is something of no brainer.

I know many of us say every season is vital but this one and the last can change the club for ever..........................lets hope we get to the 5th round with 40+ points under our belts and then we can give it real go.

In the mean time, the likes of Shane Long getting an outing against Championship opposition is just what he needs.

[papereyes]

The "devaluation" of the FA Cup has been going on for years. It's a vicious circle. The only teams realistically able to win it are the big four, who have the squad size to compete on several fronts at once.

The big four invariably finish in the top four, gain the most TV, prize and Premiership place money, qualify for the Champions League, attract the better players and sponsors and the cash bonanza continues. For a club like Reading and probably 10 others, Premiership survival is, unfortunately, the be all and end all.

There's a whole host of FA Cup winning clubs in the lower echelons of the game who would give everything to swap places with us.

That's the sad truth of the matter.

[readingbedding]

The "devaluation" of the FA Cup has been going on for years. It's a vicious circle. The only teams realistically able to win it are the big four, who have the squad size to compete on several fronts at once.

The big four invariably finish in the top four, gain the most TV, prize and Premiership place money, qualify for the Champions League, attract the better players and sponsors and the cash bonanza continues. For a club like Reading and probably 10 others, Premiership survival is, unfortunately, the be all and end all.

There's a whole host of FA Cup winning clubs in the lower echelons of the game who would give everything to swap places with us.

That's the sad truth of the matter.

Exactly.

[papereyes]

OK, maybe it's time to re-vamp the FA Cup.

Here's what I would do.

1. Get rid of the League Cup.

2. Keep the FA Cup 3rd round as is in January

Now for the revolutionary bit...

No more cup games until after the league season.
The league season continues to an earlier finish - say 2nd week of April - with no Cup games to interrupt. Once the leagues are over, the FA Cup is played as a knock-out Festival of football.
5 rounds to be played over 3 to 4 weeks culminating in a Wembley Final.
I think this competition would be taken very seriously and it would bring the crowds back. Any Prem side in the 3rd round would be desperate to get into the end of season competition. They could then concentrate entirely on the League. The play-off's might get in the way a bit, but I'm sure something could be arranged.
You could even make the competition every other year to increase the cache further, and reduce player burn-out.

---
Obviously FA Cup weeks are used to rest players, particularly for clubs that are knocked out ! so there could be 1 rest week added to the league season if it was felt it was required.

I quite like this idea.

I'd suggest it for the League Cup though.

[Wycombe Royal]

OK, maybe it's time to re-vamp the FA Cup.

Here's what I would do.

1. Get rid of the League Cup.

2. Keep the FA Cup 3rd round as is in January

Now for the revolutionary bit...

No more cup games until after the league season.
The league season continues to an earlier finish - say 2nd week of April - with no Cup games to interrupt. Once the leagues are over, the FA Cup is played as a knock-out Festival of football.
5 rounds to be played over 3 to 4 weeks culminating in a Wembley Final.
I think this competition would be taken very seriously and it would bring the crowds back. Any Prem side in the 3rd round would be desperate to get into the end of season competition. They could then concentrate entirely on the League. The play-off's might get in the way a bit, but I'm sure something could be arranged.
You could even make the competition every other year to increase the cache further, and reduce player burn-out.

---
Obviously FA Cup weeks are used to rest players, particularly for clubs that are knocked out ! so there could be 1 rest week added to the league season if it was felt it was required.

I quite like this idea.

I think the football league clubs would hate that idea - how would you expect them to fit in their 46 league matches by early April?

[papereyes]

By not having the FA Cup games and putting the fixtures in then?

[Wycombe Royal]

By not having the FA Cup games and putting the fixtures in then?

The football league, especially League One and League Two do not have blank Saturdays solely for cup games like the Premiership.

Take League Two this season. You would need to move 4 or 5 matches to dates earlier in the season to accomodate an idea like this and they have league fixtures already arranged for the FA Cup 4th round day onwards.

[readingbedding]

By not having the FA Cup games and putting the fixtures in then?

The football league, especially League One and League Two do not have blank Saturdays solely for cup games like the Premiership.

Take League Two this season. You would need to move 4 or 5 matches to dates earlier in the season to accomodate an idea like this and they have league fixtures already arranged for the FA Cup 4th round day onwards.

Exactly, the example given is just not practical for 70% of the teams left in the 4th round.