ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Sunderland

Posted by Paul Allen on 02/16/2009

I can never bring myself to watch the FA Cup when Sunderland has been knocked out. In recent years, this has meant I've lost interest in the competition before it gets to February due to our awful recent record.

This doesn't mean I don't care about the competition. Far from it. In fact, it's the complete opposite. The FA Cup is the greatest club competition in the world and has provided me with some wonderful memories.

However, in recent years clubs have refused to give the FA Cup the respect it deserves and I include Sunderland as one of them.

As a child, I would look forward to the draw for the FA Cup third round. This was when the big boys would enter the competition, when non-league teams could be drawn against Manchester United or Liverpool and when my dreams for Sunderland to reach Wembley began.

My first memories of the FA Cup are from the 1989-90 season as a six year-old and I was hooked. I remember watching an unbelievable semi-final between Manchester United and Oldham Athletic that ended 3-3 after extra-time, followed by an even more extraordinary semi-final between Liverpool and Crystal Palace. Liverpool had beaten The Eagles 9-0 previously in the season and were considered overwhelming favourites. However, Crystal Palace produced a shock and won 4-3 after extra-time. The final was as thrilling as the semi-finals, with a Manchester United-Crystal Palace final ending 3-3 after extra-time. Although the replay didn't match the previous encounter or come close to the semi-finals, I was in love with the FA Cup.

Two years later and my love of the FA Cup was cemented - Sunderland had made it to Wembley. Although we didn't win, I loved every minute of the cup run. It wasn't just about football, it was about a city coming together, to unite and celebrate their team achieving something against the odds. We were a second division team playing against the mighty Liverpool and we fell short of the ultimate prize. I was heartbroken but I still loved the FA Cup.

I think the 1992 FA Cup final between Sunderland and Liverpool was significant in the history of the competition and where it is today simply because of the year it occurred.

The season after and the Premier League was created. Sky television changed the way clubs and supporters thought of the FA Cup. The vast amounts of money available to Premier League clubs through television money led more and more to place top-flight survival above trying to win the FA Cup.

Although we've seen some magical moments in the FA Cup since 1992, more clubs, including Sunderland, are sending out their reserve teams when playing FA Cup ties. This has resulted in attendances for cup competitions dwindling and the so-called 'Big Four' having a stranglehold on the competition.

The number of fans attending FA Cup matches at their clubs is dwarfed in comparison to their league attendances.

Sunderland's average attendance this season is 39,538. However, in the two games they've played at home in the FA Cup this season they've attracted 20,685 and 22,634. This is happening at the majority of clubs in England, especially clubs in the top two divisions of England.

But, you can't blame the fans for not wanting to pay money to watch their team put out a second-string team against another team who'll be doing the same.

Sunderland had an excellent opportunity to progress to the quarter-finals of this season's competition when they were drawn against lower league opposition, Coventry City, at home in the fifth round.

First of all, they had to overcome Blackburn Rovers in a replay at Ewood Park. Sunderland manager, Ricky Sbragia, decided to rest a number of his best players, including Djbril Cisse and Kenwyne Jones. We were knocked out of the competition and an opportunity to win some silverware and get into Europe was put to bed for another year.

Some fans berated Sbragia for not taking the competition seriously whilst others argued that the Club should concentrate on ensuring Premier League survival and that an early exit in the FA Cup could be the difference in maintaining our top-flight status.

Although it's understandable for managers and fans to class Premier League survival as more important than a cup run, it's a sad state of affairs that the reason they do so is because of the financial implications involved in relegation from the Premier League.

Pre-1992 and the injection of cash into the Premier League, a cup run would never have been considered a distraction. The success of the Premier League has caused the FA Cup to lose its appeal to the clubs and lose its magic to the fans.

When compared to what the FA Cup winners receive in prize money, you can understand why some clubs see finishing fourth from bottom in the Premier League as a much greater objective.

So, what can be done to recapture the magic of the FA Cup? A small step was taken last year when unfancied Portsmouth won the trophy. A sign that you didn't have to be Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United or Chelsea to win it. Personally, I think that was a once in a decade occurrence, a bit like Everton's shock win over Manchester United in the 1995 final.

French footballing legend and UEFA president, Michel Platini, suggested the winner's of the competition should gain a place in the Champions League, thus, reducing the number of league entrants from the Premier League from four to three. I actually agree with this move but I don't think it will ever work due to the power of the big clubs. Also, there's the possibility of English entrants in the competition being ridiculous.

Can you imagine Milwall winning a place in the Champions League due to making it to the FA Cup final in 2004 where they played Manchester United, who'd already qualified for Europe's premier competition? However, if we'd have beaten Milwall in the semi-final and reached the final, my opinion might be different!

To get round this, maybe the runners-up of the FA Cup could play the team who finishes fourth in the Premier League in a play-off for the final Champions League spot.

Unfortunately, I can't see the FA Cup ever regaining its popularity when there's a league that creates such a fine line between financial stability and insecurity on the basis of relegation from the top-flight.

Clubs involved in a relegation battle will continue to focus on staying in the Premier League, Sunderland being one of them. I don't think fans can blame clubs for concentrating on their league status when there's millions of pounds at stake. If they want to blame anyone, blame the Premier League.

My childhood memories of the FA Cup were wonderful experiences. I'm not too sure if the FA Cup will have the same effect on today's six year-olds.

Comments

Posted by chulo on 02/17/2009

several years ago much to everybodys regret football stopped being a sport and became a business, the teams that are not interested in the F.A. Cup are teams that have no money interests in other competitions, look at A.Villa they have a chance to enter Europe so to avoid distractions the prefer to give the opportunity of the F:A: Cup to Everton, so they can dedicate all their time to Europe, (No Im not a Villa or Everton supporter), look at the league cup nobody cared about this trophy until Mourino at Chelsea wanted to win it all, now teams are more prepared to play for it, but for football unfortunately it is as the saying goes "ITS NOTHING PERSONAL ITS ONLY BUSINESS".

Posted by Berfie on 02/17/2009

A thought worth reflecting. Gone were the days when clubs below the top tier have a strong shout to make their mark in the competition when the winner get to participate in the Cup-Winners Cup.

At the end of the day, it is the financial reward that the league provides is their main objective, with a good cup run second. If the cup brings in good financial reward, teams like Notts County (which had played in the top flight decades ago) will definitely want to put in a good run in it.

Still, the FA can think about drumming up the prestige of the cup with good financial reward (somewhat similar to the English Premier League) given they already been assured a slot in the European competition, then more teams will put in their best players. Of course, the European competition has to also promote itself like the Champion's League.

Posted by Daniel on 02/17/2009

This could be tough to administer, but how about the FA Cup gives you a "move one 'rung' up voucher". It kinda does that at the mo with the UEFA cup entry anyway.

So on top of UEFA entry, you also get to move up to the next "group" within a league. i.e. You win the FA Cup and finish the league in X position, you move to Y position, such as

X = UEFA Cup -> Y = Champions League
X = Safety -> Y = UEFA Cup (in this case you get the same as the current set up)
X = Relegation -> Y = Safety
X = Promotion playoff in Champ/L1/L2 -> Y = Automatic promotion
X = Mid table in Championship/L1/L2 -> Y = Promotion playoffs.
etc...

Would certainly give you a carrot to try and win it!! AND it would mean your unlikely to gift someone like Blackburn (also relegation candidates) a free ride to the next round, as if they go all the way then they're guaranteed safety for next year... putting you further at risk?

Posted by Barrie Collins on 02/17/2009

The FA Cup is a wonderful competition as it is the only cup competition in the world that is straight knockout from the preliminary rounds through to the final. Other national cup competitions play two matches each round, home and away, total goals, away goals count double, etc., etc. This virtually ensures that only the "big" clubs will berepresented in the final stages, as they might field a weaker squad in the first match knowing that all the galacticos will be on hand for the second, should they slip up. This allows virtually no "upsets" to occur.

The joy of the FA Cup is in the upsets themselves. There's a certain vicarious pleasure at seeing one of the big guns ousted by Twittering Hazelmere Albion on a wet sloping cow pasture in Bogshire. In one game, winner take all, ANYTHING can happen, and in the FA Cup it frequently does. Easily the finest cup competition in the world...Long may it reign!

Posted by Berfie on 02/18/2009

Daniel: Well, the first one will definitely be very juicy, though the second can be extremely cruel to the team who finishes way above the team concern in terms of points. Same goes for those in the shout for playoffs. This will lead to extra games to be played off season (coupled with the European games), it will definitely tire them out in the new season, making them potentially a season of either mid-table or relegation fight.

Given that England has 2 cup competitions (comparing to most others), giving it a CL slot in preference over the other cup competition, makes it hard to justify it (even if it is the oldest).

Good solid knockout every single round, with good money is a start (I love to see my 3rd fav team Kidders' in Conference winning it), as well as good publicity (to garner support for the team and competition). This will likely bring a knock-up effect in making it richer, more prestigious, a win-win situation for FA and the team.

Posted by Dominic on 02/18/2009

I see no problem with Millwall getting to the Champions League...isnt equality for all part of the magic of the FA Cup?

The same incentive should apply to all teams and with a champions league place on the line (probably to the 3rd round playoff) the premier league teams would have to play their big guns, which would make it harder for Millwall to get the spot in the first place.

Posted by kevin on 02/18/2009

If big clubs don't take the cup seriously and treat it with disrespect by fielding weakened teams then explain how aside from Portsmouth last year every FA Cup since Everton won in 1995 has been won by one of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool seems to me the big clubs do want to win the cup and can't be blamed for fielding weaker sides against poor teams from lower divisions surely it is up to the smaller teams to give it a go and don't say teams from league 1 and league 2 don't want a good cup run for many of these sides a good cup run is the only thing that might keep them afloat

Posted by Andi Kan on 02/18/2009

I'm a huge fan of the FA Cup, although to be honest probably not as passionate as I'd like to be given I am not as close to the teams as the native dudes.

I do agree it's sad when the prestige of the Cup is being lost. I even find it sad that the League Cup is trivialised. Don't know what can be done to re-promote it, but adding more financial rewards or some Champs League spot to it are not top in my list. The glory of the FA Cup should not be trivialised with monetary rewards... the glory of winning it alone should be the pure motive.

Posted by Ejaygooner on 02/18/2009

You really can’t blame any of the teams playing in the European tournaments for not fielding strong teams in the FA cup or the League Cup. They simply have too many games they have to play during the course of a season. 4 competitions in a year lead to lots of injuries and the teams paying astronomical amounts in salaries have to protect their investment.

Crying about football being a business is just hypocritical and ridiculous coming from fans. The same fans who cry bloody murder when their teams do not spend immoral sums of money on overrated players during the transfer window can not lament about football being a business. You asked for it by your demands for clubs to spend money on ready made players without plans for developing their own talents in-house. Someone has to pay for the multi-million pound deals. Unfortunately, it is the fans.

Posted by Herbert on 02/19/2009

@Daniel,
I think you should follow through on your argument to its final resting place:
Finish second in the league...be declared Champions.
He he he.

Posted by les donald on 03/16/2009

if you have a number one keeper fit you play him that is what the top teams do we are the oppsite and we are now in in strugle as the manager lost the plot on goldkeepers since he kept faith in an average keeper I have stayed away and will not renew plonkers for me need to look at top level clubs and when number one's are fit play them.

Posted by Ornatttug on 05/18/2009

I should email you about this.

Posted by Toorataup on 06/08/2009

hmm. love it..

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