What changes would you make to the FA Cup?

BigBmadBigBmad Posts: 18,263
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For years people have been saying the magic of the FA Cup has gone. For the first time I am really feeling that, as a Newcastle fan, who have not won a trophy since 1969, I should be gutted about going out of the FA Cup so early again surely? But in a way losing against another PL team in front of a crowd 20k less then normal doesn't seem to hurt as much as it should for a competition of such prestige.

After the comments from the Villa manager and West Ham not seemingly fussed about going out, it really makes me wonder when will the powers that be step in before the competition losing all its 'magic'.

My suggestions would be

1. Get rid of the League cup, a trophy clubs are seen to disrespect right up until the final. Just adding to a packed calendar, this may add some importance for to the FA Cup if it is the only domestic competition for clubs to compete in.

2. Scrap replays and just have games go to extra time and penalties. Adding another game to a packed calendar is often not what either team wants, although I can understand the added finance for thee lower league teams.

3. Probably the most important for me, scrap the Europa league place for the winner and give the 4th CL place to the winner of the FA Cup. Could you see Allardyce, Lambert or Pardew taking a 3rd round exit in their stride if this was the prize?

The FA Cup can still throw up some wonderful games and moments but some changes might just bring the excitement and commitment from managers but to the cup.
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Comments

  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    What would Arsenal get for winning the 4th place trophy every year if not a CL spot?

    Make winning the Europa give a CL spot and suddenly its actually worth competing in
  • EStaffs90EStaffs90 Posts: 13,722
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    BigBmad wrote: »
    it really makes me wonder when will the powers that be step in before the competition losing all its 'magic'.

    It started losing its magic in 2000 when Man United pulled out to take part in that meaningless competition in Brazil (under the misguided belief that not taking part in it would harm our chances of getting the 2006 World Cup.)
    BigBmad wrote: »
    3. Probably the most important for me, scrap the Europa league place for the winner and give the 4th CL place to the winner of the FA Cup. Could you see Allardyce, Lambert or Pardew taking a 3rd round exit in their stride if this was the prize?

    They tried to do that a few years ago - but the backlash from the smaller PL teams caused them to change their minds.
    Maxatoria wrote: »
    Make winning the Europa give a CL spot and suddenly its actually worth competing in

    From the 2015/16 season, the Europa League winners *will* be in the Champions League.
  • SourGrapesSourGrapes Posts: 4,310
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    I'm hoping with BBC getting rights to games from next year we'll see proper cup ties on TV - Macclesfield/Sheffield Wednesday not get picked was a joke

    Other than that I wouldn't change anything
  • eugenespeedeugenespeed Posts: 66,695
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    I'd keep it the way it is, but if anything, I'd have the Premier League clubs starting earlier.

    I've often wondered what it would be like if everyone went in at the same time (all 700+ teams)
  • Sabre92Sabre92 Posts: 726
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    I remember suggesting this in a similar thread a while back, which is if a club in League One or below gets drawn against a Premier League side then they should have the choice as to whether they're home or away. A rule like this would benefit those in financial troubles as they could choose to play away and take the gate money (aka a Bury against a Manchester United), and clubs who fancy their chances of an upset could choose to have a go in front of their own fans (aka a Preston versus a West Ham).
  • alanrollinsalanrollins Posts: 3,045
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    I might be on my own but I actually quite like the idea of keeping the FA Cup as it is.

    The League Cup is the one to bugger about with.
  • DM AndyDM Andy Posts: 2,828
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    Take a large part of the prize money from the Premier League and put it into the FA Cup. At the moment the share of the tv money for finishing one place higher in the Premier League is about £750,000, a team has to get to the semi final to get as much money.

    Increase the prize for winning a 3rd round match from the current £67,500 to £1,000,000 and then Paul Lambert might take it seriously. If the teams take it seriously then the fans will too.
  • pixel_pixelpixel_pixel Posts: 6,694
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    Here are my ideas.

    Lottery style entertaining draws
    No replays, instead do something like a golden goal
    All teams start in one big draw
    Change it to Sunday evening games
    All games on terrestrial tv
    Let the Premier League run it
    Get some sort of football pools type betting game created for it
    Up the prize money to encourage teams to take it seriously
    Axe the League Cup
  • kobashi100kobashi100 Posts: 5,774
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    replays could go for sure. They are not needed!
    DM Andy wrote: »
    Take a large part of the prize money from the Premier League and put it into the FA Cup. At the moment the share of the tv money for finishing one place higher in the Premier League is about £750,000, a team has to get to the semi final to get as much money.

    Increase the prize for winning a 3rd round match from the current £67,500 to £1,000,000 and then Paul Lambert might take it seriously. If the teams take it seriously then the fans will too.

    The Premier League would tell the FA to run and jump. :D
  • DMN1968DMN1968 Posts: 2,875
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    Not the FA cup itself, but reinstate the Cup Winners Cup for the FA cup winners and equivalents from across Europe, rather than just shove them into the Europa league with a load of teams who missed out on a CL place and would rather not be there, and joined by a load a failures from the champions league later on.

    Stop teams from fielding out weakened teams. Nothing cheapens it more than having a team of kids and reserves turning out and not caring if you lose. If teams are worried about the league, then perhaps make any winners exempt from relegation (??? not sure about that ???).

    Play the semi finals at neutral grounds, and keep Wembley special for the final.

    Have the Wembley final back to its traditional time and date - after the regular season has ended, at at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, not all this 5:15 nonsense with 2 or 3 PL matches left to go.

    Show a greater variety of teams on TV - lower league v PL games, rather than just show the same old Man Utd/Chelsea/Liverpool every single round, regardless of opposition - go for games that capture the magic of the cup rather than ratings chasing. I can watch Man Utd and Chelsea live most weeks anyway.

    Stop smaller teams switching the fixtures when they get drawn against a large club. Half the fun is hearing about the likes of Manchester Utd's megastars having to change in a portacabin.

    Get the League cup out of the way earlier in the season - with the final over the Xmas period.
  • MeicYMeicY Posts: 2,585
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    Apart from doing away with this pink ball nonsense, I wouldn't change a thing. It's fine as it is and shouldn't be tinkered with to suit the unimportant desires of the top clubs and their unintelligent fans.
  • mike65mike65 Posts: 11,386
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    No replays
    No Wembley semi finals
    No ITV
  • taurus_67taurus_67 Posts: 6,930
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    BigBmad wrote: »
    2. Scrap replays and just have games go to extra time and penalties. Adding another game to a packed calendar is often not what either team wants, although I can understand the added finance for thee lower league teams.

    3. Probably the most important for me, scrap the Europa league place for the winner and give the 4th CL place to the winner of the FA Cup. Could you see Allardyce, Lambert or Pardew taking a 3rd round exit in their stride if this was the prize?

    Certainly scrap replays for the early rounds, but maybe keep them for the semi-final (though to be fair that is the time of the season when certain teams least want them) and keep the semi-finals away from Wembley unless it's two of the big London teams.

    I'm definitely in favour of the FA cup winner getting the final CL qualifying place. That along with some better prize money would focus the minds of a few mid to lower table PL teams.




    EStaffs90 wrote: »
    They tried to do that a few years ago - but the backlash from the smaller PL teams caused them to change their minds.

    Yes, but that was long enough ago that these teams thought they had a chance at the 4th spot. Most of the PL teams now have little hope of getting in the top 7 let alone top 4.
  • MeicYMeicY Posts: 2,585
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    Actually yes - forgot that one - scrap Wembley semi-finals.
  • CGG_12CGG_12 Posts: 7,483
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    BigBmad wrote: »
    For years people have been saying the magic of the FA Cup has gone. For the first time I am really feeling that, as a Newcastle fan, who have not won a trophy since 1969, I should be gutted about going out of the FA Cup so early again surely? But in a way losing against another PL team in front of a crowd 20k less then normal doesn't seem to hurt as much as it should for a competition of such prestige.

    After the comments from the Villa manager and West Ham not seemingly fussed about going out, it really makes me wonder when will the powers that be step in before the competition losing all its 'magic'.

    My suggestions would be

    1. Get rid of the League cup, a trophy clubs are seen to disrespect right up until the final. Just adding to a packed calendar, this may add some importance for to the FA Cup if it is the only domestic competition for clubs to compete in.

    2. Scrap replays and just have games go to extra time and penalties. Adding another game to a packed calendar is often not what either team wants, although I can understand the added finance for thee lower league teams.

    3. Probably the most important for me, scrap the Europa league place for the winner and give the 4th CL place to the winner of the FA Cup. Could you see Allardyce, Lambert or Pardew taking a 3rd round exit in their stride if this was the prize?

    The FA Cup can still throw up some wonderful games and moments but some changes might just bring the excitement and commitment from managers but to the cup.

    Agree with 1 and 2 but no way with 3. Getting 4th is a super achievement imagine Newcastle if they got it 2 years back and Chelsea didn't win CL, Chelsea would have gotten a play off v Newcastle despite finishing 6th. No way should winners get chance get through to CL
  • FrankieFixerFrankieFixer Posts: 11,530
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    Unplug Andy Townsend's microphone.
  • Joey_JJoey_J Posts: 5,146
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    what if the winners of the FA Cup ends up being a lower league team

    Surely the lower league winners (if there was to be a lower league winner) don't deserve to get the champions league spot over a top flight league team that have managed to finish respectably in 4th place after playing 38 games, FA Cup is a mere 5/6 games?

    not the answer imo
  • BeanybunBeanybun Posts: 3,505
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    Unplug Andy Townsend's microphone.

    Also, Burn Paul Allan's sweater.
  • big macbig mac Posts: 4,583
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    BigBmad wrote: »

    3. Probably the most important for me, scrap the Europa league place for the winner and give the 4th CL place to the winner of the FA Cup. Could you see Allardyce, Lambert or Pardew taking a 3rd round exit in their stride if this was the prize?

    .

    If they were to do this, then they would have to change the rules all over Europe so that domestic cup competition winners from each country get a place in the Champions League. You couldn't have the qualifying criteria being different for England than all other European countries.
  • TheWireRulesTheWireRules Posts: 1,307
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    From next season you can get into the Champions League via the FA CUP. It's a long road (understatement) but worth having a go. So you progress in each round and win or come runner up to a CL team. This will qualify you for Europa League 2015/2016. Have a good run in that reach the final beat (or lose if CL team) and there you go you've reached the Holy Grail.

    Question: What happens if both teams (2015/2016) who contest the Europa League final have already qualified via their leagues?
  • DM AndyDM Andy Posts: 2,828
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    big mac wrote: »
    If they were to do this, then they would have to change the rules all over Europe so that domestic cup competition winners from each country get a place in the Champions League. You couldn't have the qualifying criteria being different for England than all other European countries.
    Why not? The qualifying criteria for the Champions League and Europa League is for each country to decide, England and France give places to League Cup winners, the League Cup winners in Scotland and Wales don't get Europa League places. Greece give their second Champions League spot to the winners of a play off competition between 2nd and 5th place league finishers.
  • DM AndyDM Andy Posts: 2,828
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    From next season you can get into the Champions League via the FA CUP. It's a long road (understatement) but worth having a go. So you progress in each round and win or come runner up to a CL team. This will qualify you for Europa League 2015/2016. Have a good run in that reach the final beat (or lose if CL team) and there you go you've reached the Holy Grail.

    Question: What happens if both teams (2015/2016) who contest the Europa League final have already qualified via their leagues?
    I'm sure that only the Europa League winners get the Champions league spot. If the Europa League winners have already qualified for the Champions League Group Stage, then the highest ranked of the league champions in the 3rd qualifying round will be promoted to the Group Stage, highest ranked of the 2nd qualifying round gets in the 3rd and two of the 1st qualifying round teams get into the 2nd qualifying round.
  • pixel_pixelpixel_pixel Posts: 6,694
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    Alternate the final between Wembley, Cardiff and maybe old Trafford.
  • big macbig mac Posts: 4,583
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    DM Andy wrote: »
    Why not? The qualifying criteria for the Champions League and Europa League is for each country to decide, England and France give places to League Cup winners, the League Cup winners in Scotland and Wales don't get Europa League places. Greece give their second Champions League spot to the winners of a play off competition between 2nd and 5th place league finishers.

    Yes, but no country gives a Champions League spot to a Cup winner.
  • CryolemonCryolemon Posts: 8,670
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    All teams start in one big draw

    That would be quite insane. Presumably you'd have the first round contain either 256 or 512 teams, and just use the qualifying rounds to get it down from 730+ to that? Would be amusing to see PL teams end up playing against teams like Ilkestone Town in the first round though. Might see some 10-0 scores...
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