The FA Cup

[essbee]

When I was younger, the FA Cup was a big event in the season and something I looked forward to every season.

Today not only can I not be arsed to even watch it - I couldn't give a hoot who
wins. It ain't because I'm getting older, it's more the time of the match, the way that the FA behave and the general attitude of premiership players (diving etc).

Ok - Albion are no angels - but these guys take it to different levels.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Yes indeed. Have not watched a final for years. Sad, really.

 

[Beach Hut]

Same thread every year and the main reason is the Champions League

 

[pasty]

I don't wholly blame the FA. I think one of the biggest reasons it has lost what it used to have, is the current wall-to-wall saturation coverage of football on TV. When I was a nipper, the FA Cup Final was one of only a handfull of games that were live on the tellybox. It was a special event that both BBC and ITV pulled out all the stops for (although I don't know anyone that used to watch it on ITV). Today, it's almost just another game.

 

[Beach Hut]

I suspect the other issue is the FA Cup was the only game on the day yet there are loads of others on today.

 

[tgretton87]

Some people might say your jealous because Brighton are not in it. I think the FA cup is great but it should be the only game on a weekend no premier fixtures.

 

[tgretton87]

I suspect the other issue is the FA Cup was the only game on the day yet there are loads of others on today.

Just beat me to it. Thats very much the case. they have tried to remedy it by moving KO to 5.15 when all other games have finished.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

The dowturn started when they began to play semi finals at Wembley. Up until then only players good enough to be internationals played at Wembley, and the FA Cup Final was the only chance any of the other had of ever playing there, so it was very special, and the high point of most players' careers. And a high point for most fans as well.

For something to be special it needs to be rare.

Now any player good enough to play league football has a chance of playing at Wembley.

The whole thing has been down-valued IMO

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

The FA Cup is only special if people treat it as special. We can blame Sky TV, Premier League, overpaid stars etc for devaluing it, but fans have to treat it as special too. Judging from NSC, most fans who expressed an opinion on it would have wanted a home win in the league over Millwall than an away cup win at Liverpool.

 

[Racek]

Love watching football. 25 degrees today, will be in town for a few beers then watch the football in the beer garden. Dont care for either teams but nothing better going on today.

 

[falmer seagull]

The dowturn started when they began to play semi finals at Wembley. Up until then only players good enough to be internationals played at Wembley, and the FA Cup Final was the only chance any of the other had of ever playing there, so it was very special, and the high point of most players' careers. And a high point for most fans as well.

For something to be special it needs to be rare.

Now any player good enough to play league football has a chance of playing at Wembley. The whole thing has been down-valued IMO

Agree with this.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Is it still shown on the BBC? Do they still have the hours of build up, cup final Question of Sport, meet the players and all of that stuff beforehand? That is what I used to enjoy. It was an event.

 

[Working class pride]

Agree that the semi finals should not be at Wembley. The Millennium stadium Cardiff for the semis would make sense.

Other than that, as long as they sing "Abide with me", I'm not so bothered its at 5pm. Football was at 3pm because that is when most people could watch it. I think people's days have changed tho' and if most people want to watch it at 5pm then fair enough.

It is a shame that the build up is not the same but the reason the FA Cup is not what it was is because the European Cup has taken over as the must watch game for everyone around the world and in England. Years ago the country would stop for the FA Cup but not really the European Cup unless a British side was in it. The FA Cup tho is still superb.

 

[Notters]

25 degrees today.

bastard!

 

[Hiney]

The FA Cup is only special if people treat it as special. We can blame Sky TV, Premier League, overpaid stars etc for devaluing it, but fans have to treat it as special too. Judging from NSC, most fans who expressed an opinion on it would have wanted a home win in the league over Millwall than an away cup win at Liverpool.

This

Moaning about losing 'the magic of the cup' becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[pasty]

....and if most people want to watch it at 5pm then fair enough.

But from what I've been reading in the papers, most people don't. Let alone the Liverpool fans who are going to struggle to home. There is one reason and one reason only it is a 5pm ko today and that is because there are PL fixtures as well today.

 

[wolfie]

You can blame Sky etc all you want, but I think the demise of the Cup Winners Cup made domestic cup competitions all around Europe a bit less special.

Not the CWC but the coming of the Premiership, big money and the need to win promotions at any cost. It wasn't just the big clubs that played weakened sides in cup ties - look at us last season against so-called smaller teams. Look at Albion gates in the 50s and 60s and they invariably went up for cup ties - now they go down.

 

[Beach Hut]

The dowturn started when they began to play semi finals at Wembley. Up until then only players good enough to be internationals played at Wembley, and the FA Cup Final was the only chance any of the other had of ever playing there, so it was very special, and the high point of most players' careers. And a high point for most fans as well.

That was the turning point for me the semis should be at neutral venues as per previous.

 

[Working class pride]

But from what I've been reading in the papers, most people don't. Let alone the Liverpool fans who are going to struggle to home. There is one reason and one reason only it is a 5pm ko today and that is because there are PL fixtures as well today.

Always read the press and think why are they writing this or why is he saying that. Ferguson has been moaning (shock). Is there a chance its because he took stick because of the controversy about going to South America instead of playing in the Cup one season? As for the press then their job is to sell papers and so they must write something no matter what it is. The reality is that the Market is the true indicator of the needs and wants of people. Its everyone's interest to have the largest audience for the Cup for advertising revenue and the like. As such, Sky will have researched when they will get the largest number of people watching. Therefore most people must prefer to watch it at 5pm, no matter what Ferguson or the press say. Change is good but never received well and with change the FA must keep the things that make it special, like Abide with me. But kick off time, meh, play it when most people want to sit down and watch it, and rely on the market rather than the press to tell you when that is.

 

[brunswick]

the cup winners cup was ace, i cant stand the uefa euro league, especially with champions league losers going in.

take all the formats back to the late 80's.