https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51243113
So Pep thinks we should scrap FA Cup replays to help out the arduous fixture pressure of the top teams.
Another sign of the absolute contempt with which the Premier League "prestige" sides view the competition and the EFL / below. The fixture pressure (really?) has only built up because of the greed of the Champions League and other pointless competitions, eg the Club World Cup, which are only focused on ££££££. I find it objectionable that a Spanish manager wants to degrade the best cup competition in the world that provides an essential financial income for countless lower league sides.
Another solution would to be less successful, then they would have fewer games to play!
I know this is probably the 4th glass of red talking but I look forward to the day that the TV money starts to flatline and even, heaven forbid, reduce, and that prima donnas have to face the reality of life and perhaps appreciate that they might have to play football as a full time job, poor darlings.
The FA Cup is in desperate need of a shot in the arm. Inviting the Scottish teams back into it would spice it up a bit (Rangers entered for a couple of seasons in the 1880s as well as others).
Play the Quarter-finals and Semi-finals in the USA, China, Japan or other exotic locations instead of Wembley which would make for big money rewards for those that make it that far.
Lastly (and obviously) 4th champions league place to the winners.
As things are, the FA Cup is dead.
Interesting suggestions, but they would kill it stone dead for me. Lower league clubs would be desperate to keep replays as a valuable source of income, Premiership clubs would be desperate to do away with them because they are an irritation.
I wonder who's wishes will win?
The FA Cup isn’t what it was for the simple reason the final used to be the only game live on telly and now it isn’t. I could tell you who was in every cup final and who won from about 1977 until 1993 but since then I’d be struggling.
The Spanish thing of a smaller club being at home automatically is the way forward. Replays wouldn’t matter too much then.
Yes, that would be a good compromise.
Off the top of my head I can still rattle off all winners and runners up from 1961 to 1996. I was only just trying to think of the last FA Cup tie I really wanted Notts to win purely for progressing in the competition's sake (not because of money or giant killing) and it must have been West Ham home in 1994. Not felt the real magic since the Quarter final at Spurs.
I even used to look forward to seeing what grounds would be staging the semi finals , now I can't even tell you who's left in it.
Meadow Lane hosted a semi-final twice (same as Derby County's Baseball Ground and Leicester's Filbert St). the first was a replay but was a first choice in 1925, that being the last time a non-replay SF came to Nottingham. City Ground last hosted a replay in 1965. Trent Bridge staged three semis when it was our home, so that's 5 in all played at Notts County.
For me, they would be the final nails in the coffin.
How to change it?
All games to be played at 3.00 on Saturday, except one game on terrestrial TV
Only the final to be played at Wembley
The final to be at 3.00 on Saturday
Teams to play a certain number of the regular 'first' team. Tranmere beat Watford who had made 11 changes. Derby made 8 changes against Northampton. Just 2 examples.
But it will only get value back if Prem teams take it seriously from round 3.
I don't bother watching it anymore, except games with any personal interest.