da apostaganha： Domestic cup competitions are on somewhat of a slide in English football. The FA Cup may still profit from the tradition that surrounds the competition but what about the often disregarded League Cup?
da poker： Last week QPR manager Neil Warnock admitted he was pleased that his side were out of the Carling Cup after an embarrassing 2-0 home defeat to lower league Rochdale. But where has the passion gone from Warnock or many other managers who see the League Cup as a distraction rather than a profitable competition? Football clubs should start showing more regard to a cup that could see them play in a final at Wembley and have the chance of European football.
Warnock was quoted as saying after the defeat,
“I don’t think people care about the competition. I’m not disappointed to be out. The competition is not a priority for us.”
But he was not the only Premier League manager to suffer a similar fate as both Swansea and Norwich also exited the competition early, with Norwich boss Paul Lambert making 11 changes from his previous Premier League game. To be fair to managers like Warnock, I can see the angle he is coming from. The League Cup is not held in a high regard within England generally and it must be hard to get excited about a mid-week clash against lower league teams. Staying in the Premier League is obviously vitally important to the newly promoted sides and another fixture on the calendar does risk having an effect on their season. Warnock also said that the cup needs to be revamped, a point on which I agree with the QPR manager. Its schedule has become rather stale and gets lost amongst a busier calendar and so its does need to be revamped to win back at least some of its lost appeal.
But by playing weakened teams, or in Warnock’s case disregarding the competition, it does a disservice to not only his players (many who would probably relish a possible trip to Wembley or a chance of European football) but the fans as well. Loyal supporters take every opportunity possible to see their team play, which is made especially hard by increasing match day prices. QPR fans cannot have enjoyed paying for a ticket to see their side lose to a lower league team. Fans deserve a better experience and like the players, many wouldn’t forget a possible cup final or even a chance to take on one of the Premier League big boys again in an earlier stage of the competition. Obviously there is every chance that your team may not even reach the final but the opportunity for smaller Premier League teams is there to win silverware.
Despite the decreasing popularity that the Carling Cup has suffered from in recent years, last year’s final showed that the cup has a big part to play in the English football season. Birmingham City and Arsenal met at Wembley in February to battle it out with underdogs Birmingham snatching victory in the most dramatic of circumstances with a late winner. Birmingham were jubilant at winning what should still be called a major trophy whilst Arsenal were distraught at missing the chance to finally add a piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet after so many years. On the day both teams and their fans desperately wanted to win in what was a fantastic showpiece event. But the effect it had on both their seasons after the final could be used as an example to justify Warnock’s point, no one would have expected both Birmingham Arsenal’s seasons to end in such disappointment.
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Neil Warnock’s comments could be seen as the QPR manager simply saying what many managers and fans are thinking as they watch their team battle on a cold mid-week night for a cup held in little regard anymore. But smaller teams, from the Premier League down through the lower leagues should not underestimate the League Cup as it is one of the few chances many of these teams will ever get to win a piece of silverware.
Do you think clubs should make more of an effort in the League Cup? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5