The FA Cup winners to the CL?

[Ron_Mexico]

one step forward two steps back

including the winner of the FA cup final is ludicrous

[Red Chilli]

one step forward two steps back

including the winner of the FA cup final is ludicrous

I don't know, I'd rather the FA cup winners qualified than the 4th placed team. It makes the FA cup more competitive.

Sad thing is, it's going to be SCUM, Chavs Arsenal or Liverpool in the FA cup every year.

[Ron_Mexico]

I don't know, I'd rather the FA cup winners qualified than the 4th placed team. It makes the FA cup more competitive.

Sad thing is, it's going to be SCUM, Chavs Arsenal or Liverpool in the FA cup every year.

that's what i don't understand about this the teams that win the FA cup are invariably in the top 4, so what does this actually change?

say platini's dream comes true and Everton or some other lower level team win the FA cup....what is the point of them getting to the CL, they're going to get trounced. they've gotten there on the merit of 5 or 6 games, whereas getting 4th place actually takes some serious effort and quality

[Red Chilli]

Teams like Everton, Spurs and Portsmouth etc won't do well in the FA cup anymore, it'll be the top 4.

My question is: Who will qualify for the CL if a top 3 club wins the FA cup? Is it going to be the FA cup runners up?

[Ron_Mexico]

Teams like Everton, Spurs and Portsmouth etc won't do well in the FA cup anymore, it'll be the top 4.

My question is: Who will qualify for the CL if a top 3 club wins the FA cup? Is it going to be the FA cup runners up?

that was my next question

it seems obvious michelle is not very familiar with club competition in england

[sonsofthedesert]

I like the thought of the top 3 not having to qualify. I like the stadium and date point. I do have concerns about the cup bit though, as the winner could be a lower team which would effect our coefficient and mean we have fewer teams qualifying. Also the FA cup winner would have to go through 2 qualifiers.
All in all though some good ideas and you cant argue that it would mean all teams would take the cup seriously, mean the top 4 would have to go at it harder so culd be good for competition. Scary thing though is it will gaurentee 1 of the top 4 would always miss out via the league.

[sonsofthedesert]

that was my next question

it seems obvious michelle is not very familiar with club competition in england

As happens now the spot goes to the league.

[sonsofthedesert]

that's what i don't understand about this the teams that win the FA cup are invariably in the top 4, so what does this actually change?

say platini's dream comes true and Everton or some other lower level team win the FA cup....what is the point of them getting to the CL, they're going to get trounced. they've gotten there on the merit of 5 or 6 games, whereas getting 4th place actually takes some serious effort and quality

It's not just about us though, it s about all of europe and giving a competition winner a chance in the champions leage, giving more credence to cup competitions and his little agenda.

[reddragon]

personally i think on balance it's a positive idea.

I think that it will give some lustre to the oldest football competition in the world, which can't be a bad thing. At least Rafa will take it seriously from now on eh? The FA Cup has been losing appeal to the big teams for ages, despite them seemingly winning every year.

Although I understand the idea that 6 jammy wins can get you to the CL maybe deemed a non-starter by those of us who support the big teams, for the rest of the league it'll be a massive incentive to do well in the Cup - even to the point of teams resting players in the league games running up to Cup Ties instead of in Cup Ties running up to league games. The romance of the Cup will be enhanced - those Millwall's will be able to dream, and for the good of football this has got to be a good thing.

In the league it'll have an equally serious effect. Instead of the procession we now have, we'll have [at the start] 4 chasing 3 places. In other words, a real competition. If one club ends up coming 4th for 2 or 3 years on the trot [especially if it's Arsenal] then they'll struggle financially to keep up, so we may end up with a big 3 instead of a big 4. However, if we end up taking turns coming 4th then the Newcastles and Spurs of this world will be able to compete better with us, as we won't have the guarantee of CL money every year. In the end, I think we'll have a more competitive league.

In conclusion, for Liverpool it's a bad idea as it will open up competition to us; but for football it's a good thing.

[sonsofthedesert]

personally i think on balance it's a positive idea.

I think that it will give some lustre to the oldest football competition in the world, which can't be a bad thing. At least Rafa will take it seriously from now on eh? The FA Cup has been losing appeal to the big teams for ages, despite them seemingly winning every year.

Although I understand the idea that 6 jammy wins can get you to the CL maybe deemed a non-starter by those of us who support the big teams, for the rest of the league it'll be a massive incentive to do well in the Cup - even to the point of teams resting players in the league games running up to Cup Ties instead of in Cup Ties running up to league games. The romance of the Cup will be enhanced - those Millwall's will be able to dream, and for the good of football this has got to be a good thing.

In the league it'll have an equally serious effect. Instead of the procession we now have, we'll have [at the start] 4 chasing 3 places. In other words, a real competition. If one club ends up coming 4th for 2 or 3 years on the trot [especially if it's Arsenal] then they'll struggle financially to keep up, so we may end up with a big 3 instead of a big 4. However, if we end up taking turns coming 4th then the Newcastles and Spurs of this world will be able to compete better with us, as we won't have the guarantee of CL money every year. In the end, I think we'll have a more competitive league.

In conclusion, for Liverpool it's a bad idea as it will open up competition to us; but for football it's a good thing.

Sensible and correct, the other teams in this country will love this idea. The likes of Spurs may not be 100% sure as they are chasing 4th spot.

[Ron_Mexico]

i can understand the arguments for this change, and there are some good ones, but they don't take into account the reality of the situation. unless i'm mistaken, smaller clubs already take the FA cup seriously, it's often their only chance to win something big. the big four have lessened their commitment to winning this competition in favour of the league and CL....yet one of those 4 top clubs always wins it anyway. i think alot of the time you will have one of the big four win the cup and then 4th place goes by default, just like how it used to be

in the short term i can see it making individual ties between smaller clubs much more exciting because there is much more at stake

but let's say platini's dream happens and some minnow wins the thing- doesn't this cheapen the CL? i don't see how adding more whipping boys to the mix will generate better entertainment? look at everton, the buzz from 'qualifying' goes away after you get your arse handed to you

[TheStig]

i can understand the arguments for this change, and there are some good ones, but they don't take into account the reality of the situation. unless i'm mistaken, smaller clubs already take the FA cup seriously, it's often their only chance to win something big. the big four have lessened their commitment to winning this competition in favour of the league and CL....yet one of those 4 top clubs always wins it anyway. i think alot of the time you will have one of the big four win the cup and then 4th place goes by default, just like how it used to be

in the short term i can see it making individual ties between smaller clubs much more exciting because there is much more at stake

but let's say platini's dream happens and some minnow wins the thing- doesn't this cheapen the CL? i don't see how adding more whipping boys to the mix will generate better entertainment? look at everton, the buzz from 'qualifying' goes away after you get your arse handed to you

Yep, pretty much what I think.

[Ron_Mexico]

Yep, pretty much what I think.

strengthening a lesser competition by weakening a more prestigious one, well done french clown

[Matt]

Who the **** are UEFA to start messing around with an English tournament?

Crap idea, they should sort out the shambles that is the UEFA Cup. Never realised how bad it was til I got knocked out of the CL qualifiers on FM2007

If anything they should use the FA Cup as a model for the UEFA cup. None of this 2-legged bollocks each round, if you get drawn away in Russia in January then tough titty

[Red_Al_77]

The League Cup would suffer even more to be honest. Even the lesser clubs would be resting players in the LC to prepare for the FAC. It's a silly idea and Platini should just concentrate on the fans and making it better for them. At the end of the day the TV companies want the big sides in the CL not Millwall, Southampton, Bolton, Everton etc.