Why I regard the League Cup as a joke

Back in the days of actual, serious reserve team leagues, they'd play every week and there'd be genuine teamplay and understanding. Plus, as Jeremy Goss explains in his book, all sides at all levels across the club played in the same way: so when they'd break into the first team, they'd be a direct replacement essentially doing the same job.

What do we have now? We have managers blooding youngsters and picking squad players in Cup competitions, the League Cup especially. Except that as they no longer play in serious reserve team football every week, there's no teamplay, no understanding and no competitive edge: because the message from the manager is he doesn't care. If he did care, he'd have picked a strong side.

So that collection of disinterested individuals meet opponents who DO play as a team (because their manager's picked a strong side). That often lower division club has nothing to lose, wins, and then hails itself for its INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. When in practice, the game's borne no resemblance to actual competitive league football. As subsequent league games (see Southend and Coventry knocking out Man Utd in 2006 and 2007 while both being s**t) often bear out.

Managers of clubs like Norwich are quite right to do this. 46-game league seasons are already ridiculous; if they weren't, top divisions across Europe would be the same, instead of having no more than 38-game seasons. Playing throughout Christmas and the New Year is ridiculous too. And in our case, if we're in the playoffs, that's another 3 matches potentially. 49 league games plus both Cups? It's absurd.

Responding to this, what did the League Cup do? First it got rid of replays: thereby giving the home team even more of an advantage. Then it even got rid of extra time: meaning if the home side cares at all (it's just that it frequently doesn't), it's "get drawn at home, go through".

It's a nonsense. Football without fans is bad enough as it is. That an entire tournament of many many sides going through the motions, not giving a s**t and essentially hoping to get knocked out - all with no fans watching - still has a European place for the winners is absurd. A joke. And that managers of leading clubs are slagged off for "not winning anything" when this competition is a hindrance, nothing more, is also a joke.

The FA Cup, of course, has long been heading in the same direction. It's not there quite yet though. It still means *something*. The League Cup means nothing whatsoever, and should be axed.

Posted By: thebigfeller, Sep 5, 23:41:12