THE FA Cup semi-finals were exciting, but we still ended up with a very predictable outcome: Manchester City versus Manchester United. It’s no longer a novelty, not especially appetising for the majority of football’s community. The neutral world wanted Coventry City to get to the final, the sort of plucky FA Cup story we were all brought up on. The magic, the drama, the romance of the world’s oldest knockout competition, and all that. Coventry will be talking about their ruled-out goal for decades – Technology 1 Coventry 0 – and yet more debates about VAR (great when you benefit, lousy when you don’t) will go on.
It was offside, there is little doubt about it, but the whole concept of VAR is killing the joy of the game. Offside decisions are made on the basis of precision lines drawn across the field. The margins are so miniscule a player cannot possibly know if he is going to be offside. The line is not visible and players are deemed to be offside if a big toe or something even less physical is in the wrong place. This cannot be a truly reasonable use of technology because it has become a case of Man versus Machine (and that’s not a Kraftwerk album). Some adjustments are needed to make this more manageable.
If VAR is killing football, as some believe it is, then the growing feeling the big Premier clubs are controlling the game for their own benefit is also a threat to stability. The news that replays are being phased out in the FA Cup has been met with a largely negative response, but is it really so bad? Midweek games are often an inconvenience for all levels of football, from the added travelling costs and prospect of injuries to the additional expense for fans. There are far worse things you can do to the FA Cup than insist on a decision on the day.
Firstly, let’s see an end to weakened teams being fielded in FA Cup ties. If the elite clubs are worried about fixture congestion, then perhaps they should cut down on playing tour games in far-of places that are effectively a revenue stream. Maybe leagues could be reduced in numbers to make cup games more appealing.
Secondly, dispense with hosting FA Cup rounds in midweek. They should be the highlight of the football calendar, not squeezed between two league weekends, giving the impression clubs cannot wait to get them out of the way.
Thirdly, remove semi-finals from Wembley in order to make a trip to the national stadium more “special” rather than something everyone does. Of the current 92 clubs, almost all have been to the new Wembley since 2007. Only a handful (Blackburn and Ipswich are among them) have not played in either a cup final or play-off. To be frank, Wembley’s modern stadium is much better than its predecessor, but there is nothing remarkable or storied about it.
Finally, make the FA Cup final a genuine social occasion, not a poor man’s attempt at the Superbowl. Revert to a 3pm kick-off and stop messing around with the timing. It should be the climax of the football season coming after the regular campaign has been completed. And the FA Cup final should tip its hat at every club that has entered. Which brings us to the final point and the most radical attempt to bring some good old fashioned romance back to the competition.
Limit the field of entrants to 512 and include every team in the draw. In the early stages, the lowest ranked team will always be at home. Just imagine, Studley of the Midland League playing Tottenham, Stansted hosting Leeds United, Ashington versus Arsenal and so on. We may end up with the same outcome (United versus City) and the Football Association would have to play around with the cash to ensure all small clubs get a reasonable slice of the collective pie, but it could act as a catalyst for regeneration.
In order for the FA Cup to regain its glamorous appeal, things have to change. The media try and “big it up” by calling it the world’s greatest KO competition, but at the same time, the top clubs actually devalue it by fielding weakened line-ups. It is worth saving, it is absolutely worth improving, even if the aforementioned idea might be a little too left-field. Some of football’s greatest memories involve the FA Cup and we should remember that.
GAME OF THE PEOPLE 